The skeletal remains of the euryhaline sclerorhynchoid †Onchopristis (Elasmobranchii) from the 'Mid'-Cretaceous and their palaeontological implications

We present the first known cranial remains of the fossil batoid dagger Onchopristis numidus. Based on two exceptionally well-preserved specimens collected from the 'Kem Kem Beds' (Albian-Cenomanian), south-east Morocco, an almost complete description of the rostral and cranial portions of the genus dagger Onchopristis is provided, together with new observations regarding the development and arrangement of the rostral denticle series for this genus. The comparison between the rostrum length of the specimens of dagger O. numidus with those of extant pristids, reveals a relatively large batoid species with an estimated total length between two and four metres. Overall, the cranial morphology of dagger Onchopristis resembles that of other sclerorhynchoids. Its robust hypertrophied rostrum, with the characteristic wood-like mineralization covering the inner layer of tessellate cartilage at the centre of the rostrum, in addition to the thick lateral layers of densely porous cartilage on the sides of the rostral cartilages, resembles that observed in dagger Ischyrhiza and dagger Schizorhiza, and differentiates dagger Onchopristis from other sclerorhynchoids (e.g. dagger Libanopristis, dagger Micropristis and dagger Sclerorhynchus). Aiming to determinate the phylogenetic relations of dagger Onchopristis within sclerorhynchoids, a cladistic analysis was carried out based on the remains described here; its results suggest a new taxonomic arrangement within the sclerorhynchoids.

Automated summary

This study presents the first known cranial remains of the fossil batoid dagger Onchopristis numidus, providing new observations and a description of the cranial structure of this genus. The findings suggest that dagger O. numidus is a relatively large batoid species with cranial morphology resembling that of other sclerorhynchoids.