The first record of the chimaeroid genus Edaphodon (Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) from Antarctica (Snow Hill Island Formation, Late Cretaceous, James Ross Island)

ABSTRACT

A new species of an edaphodontid holocephalian, Edaphodon snowhillensis, sp. nov., is described based on a complete dentition collected in the late Campanian Herbert Sound Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation of James Ross Island, Antarctica. The dentition consists of paired vomerine, mandibular, and palatine tooth plates, which are almost completely preserved. The new species is characterized by a unique character combination out of which the presence of a subquadrangular vomerine tooth plate and a horse-hoof-shaped anterior outer tritor in the mandibular tooth plates appear to be unique characters among the edaphodontids. Edaphodon snowhillensis, sp. nov., represents the most complete dentition of a holocephalian fish from the Southern Hemisphere and the earliest record of the genus Edaphodon from the Antarctic continent and the Weddellian Biogeographic Province. Also, E. snowhillensis, sp. nov., is the southernmost specimen of this genus and according to the size of the tooth plates is one of the largest chimaeroid fish known.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank A. Iglesias (Universidad Nacional del Comahue, INIBIOMA) for finding the specimen MLP 13-I-26-1, M. Reguero (curator of fossil collection of the Museo de La Plata and present manager of the paleontological campaigns of the Instituto Antártico of Argentina) for allowing us to study the material under his care, L. L. Rasia for help with some of the drawings, M. Alegría and L. Acosta for technical preparation of the holotype, and K. Kamra for English editing. This research was partially funded by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, and the Instituto Antártico Argentino. We thank the editor (Charlie Underwood), J. Kriwet, and an anonymous reviewer who provided helpful suggestions and comments.

Handling editor: Charlie Underwood.

Citation for this article: Gouiric-Cavalli, S., D. A. Cabrera, A. L. Cione, J. P. O'Gorman, R. A. Coria, and M. Fernández. 2015. The first record of the chimaeroid genus Edaphodon (Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) from Antarctica (Snow Hill Island Formation, Late Cretaceous, James Ross Island). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2015.981128.