Dhanguura

Dhanguura Temporal range: Early Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	†Placodermi
Order:	†Arthrodira
Suborder:	†Brachythoraci
Genus:	†Dhanguura Johnston, 1993
Species:	†D. johnstoni
Binomial name
†Dhanguura johnstoni Johnston, 1993

Dhanguura is an extinct genus of arthrodire from the Early Devonian of Wee Jasper, NSW. It contains the single species D. johnstoni.[1]

Etymology

Dhanguura comes from the Aboriginal word "dhanguurr", meaning "fish", in the Wiradjuri tribe's language, because they inhabited the area, west of Wee Jasper. The species name, "johnstoni" is in honor of the discoverer of the genus, Dr. Paul Johnston, who found Dhanguura in 1993.[1]

Description

Dhanguura is known from fossilized remains of an incomplete skull, the nuchal plate 23 cm in length, and the entire headshield estimated at 40 cm.[1] According to the article cited, Dhanguura probably exceeded the contemporary Taemasosteus in size.[1]

Taxonomy

Dhanguura was thought to be a member of Homostiidae, according to Young, 2004, but a phylogenetic analyses by Zhu et al. 2015, does not support this, with Dhanguura now considered a basal brachythoracid.[2]

	Elvaspis tuberculata
	Dicksonosteus arcticus
	Turrisaspis elektor
	Groenlandaspis antarcticus
	Holonema westolli
Brachythoraci	Homostiidae Homostius sulcatus Antineosteus lehmani Buchanosteoidea Buchanosteus confertituberculatus Goodradigbeeon australianum Parabuchanosteus murrumbidgeeni Dhanguura johnstoni Gemuendenaspis angusta Xiangshuiosteus wui Eubrachythoraci

References

1. Young, G. C. (2004). "Large brachythoracid arthrodires (placoderm fishes) from the Early Devonian of Wee Jasper, New South Wales, Australia, with a discussion of basal brachythoracid characters". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (1): 1–17.
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282940581_Redescription_of_Yinostius_major_Arthrodira_Heterostiidae_from_the_Lower_Devonian_of_China_and_the_interrelationships_of_Brachythoraci