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The sculpture and morphology of postcranial dermal armor plates and associated bones in gasterosteiforms and syngnathiforms inhabiting Estonian coastal waters
Author(s) -
Lees Janek,
Märss Tiiu,
Wilson Mark V. H.,
Saat Toomas,
Špilev Heli
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.2011.00517.x
Subject(s) - subfossil , postcrania , biology , systematics , taxon , zoology , paleontology , taxonomy (biology) , holocene
Lees, J., Märss, T., Wilson, M. V. H., Saat, T. and Špilev, H. 2011. The sculpture and morphology of postcranial dermal armor plates and associated bones in gasterosteiforms and syngnathiforms inhabiting Estonian coastal waters. ― Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93 : 422–435. Five fish species inhabiting Estonian coastal waters ( Gasterosteus aculeatus L., Pungitius pungitius (L.), and Spinachia spinachia (L.) of the order Gasterosteiformes and Syngnathus typhle L. and Nerophis ophidion (L.) of the order Syngnathiformes) are described on the basis of the sculpture and morphology of their postcranial dermal armor plates, as revealed and illustrated by SEM images. This study shows that the shapes of these superficial skeletal elements vary by species as well as by their position on the body, whereas the sculpture on the bones is taxon specific. The detailed features allow the identification of isolated fossil and subfossil remains and show promise for future systematics studies.