Bobasatrania

Bobasatrania
Temporal range: ~Changhsingian-Ladinian
Bobasatrania canadensis fossil
Bobasatrania canadensis restoration
Scientific classification
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Bobasatrania

White, 1932
Type species
Bobasatrania mahavavica
White, 1932
Other species
  • B. antiqua (Accordi, 1955)
  • B. canadensis (Lambe, 1914)
  • B. ceresiensis Bürgin, 1992
  • B. groenlandica Stensiö, 1932
  • B. ladina (Accordi, 1955)
  • B. nathorsti (Stensiö, 1921)
  • B. scutata (Gervais, 1852)
Synonyms

Bobasatrania is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Fossils of Bobasatrania were found in beds of Changhsingian (late Permian) to Ladinian (Middle Triassic) age. It was most speciose during the Early Triassic.

The genus was named after the locality Bobasatrana (near Ambilobe) in northeast Madagascar, from where the type species, Bobasatrania mahavavica, was described. The name of this species refers to the Mahavavy River.

Bobasatrania mahavavica fossil
Fossil of Bobasatrania canadensis (AMNH 6210)
Bobasatrania groenlandica slab and counterslab fossils at the Geological Museum in Copenhagen
Bobasatrania ceresiensis fossil at Paleontological Museum, University of Zürich

Occurrence

Bobasatrania probably originated during the Lopingian (late Permian) epoch, survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event, and underwent a speciation event during the Triassic in the shallow coastal waters off the Pangaean supercontinent. Their fossils are therefore found across the globe (Canada, France, Germany, Greenland, Italy, Madagascar, Spitsbergen, Pakistan, Switzerland, United States). Some of the best examples are known from the Wapiti Lake region of British Columbia, Canada. The geologically oldest fossils are from the Wordie Creek Formation of Greenland. Fossils include complete specimens but also isolated, characteristic tooth plates.

Appearance

They have a distinctive diamond-shaped body, forked tail and long thin pectoral fins. B. ceresiensis was about 25 cm (9.8 in) long, while other species, such as B. canadensis, grew to about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length or larger. The structure of their teeth (tooth plates) suggests they fed on shelled animals.

See also


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