English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

We present a redescription of  Megalocoelacanthus dobiei , a giant fossil coelacanth from Upper Cretaceous strata of North America.  Megalocoelacanthus  has been previously described on the basis of composite material that consisted of isolated elements. Consequently, many aspects of its anatomy have remained unknown as well as its phylogenetic relationships with other coelacanths. Previous studies have suggested that  Megalocoelacanthus  is closer to  Latimeria  and  Macropoma  than to  Mawsonia . However, this assumption was based only on the overall similarity of few anatomical features, rather than on a phylogenetic character analysis. A new, and outstandingly preserved specimen from the Niobrara Formation in Kansas allows the detailed description of the skull of  Megalocoelacanthus  and elucidation of its phylogenetic relationships with other coelacanths. Although strongly flattened, the skull and jaws are well preserved and show many derived features that are shared with Latimeriidae such as  Latimeria ,  Macropoma  and  Libys . Notably, the parietonasal shield is narrow and flanked by very large, continuous vacuities forming the supraorbital sensory line canal. Such an unusual morphology is also known in  Libys . Some other features of  Megalocoelacanthus , such as its large size and the absence of teeth are shared with the mawsoniid genera  Mawsonia  and  Axelrodichthys . Our cladistic analysis supports the sister-group relationship of  Megalocoelacanthus  and  Libys  within Latimeriidae. This topology suggests that toothless, large-sized coelacanths evolved independently in both Latimeriidae and Mawsoniidae during the Mesozoic. Based on previous topologies and on ours, we then review the high-level taxonomy of Latimerioidei and propose new systematic phylogenetic definitions.

plos one

The Giant Cretaceous Coelacanth (Actinistia, Sarcopterygii) Megalocoelacanthus dobiei Schwimmer, Stewart &amp; Williams, 1994, and Its Bearing on Latimerioidei Interrelationships