Dipnorhynchus

Dipnorhynchus Temporal range: Emsian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Endocast of D. suessmilchi
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Sarcopterygii
Class:	Dipnoi
Family:	†Dipnorhynchidae
Genus:	†Dipnorhynchus Jaekel, 1927
Species
See text

Dipnorhynchus is an extinct genus of marine lungfish from the middle Devonian period (Emsian) of Australia.[1][2]

The following species are known:[1]

• D. (Placorhynchus) cathlesae Campbell & Barwick, 1999 - mid-Emsian of New South Wales (Bloomfield Limestone)[2]
• D. kiandrensis Campbell & Barwick, 1982 - Emsian of New South Wales (Lick Hole Limestone)
• D. kurikae Campbell & Barwick, 1985 - mid-Emsian of New South Wales (Bloomfield Limestone)
• D. suessmilchi (Etheridge, 1906) (type species) - mid-Emsian of New South Wales (Bloomfield Limestone)[3]

The species 'D.' lehmanii from Germany was formerly placed in this genus, but has more recently been moved to its own genus, Westollrhynchus.[2][4]

Dipnorhynchus was a primitive lungfish, but still it had features that set it apart from other sarcopterygians. Its skull lacked the joint that divided the skull in two in rhipidists and coelacanths. Instead, it was a solid bony structure similar to that of the first tetrapods. Instead of cheek teeth, Dipnorhynchus had tooth-like plates on the palate and lower jaw. Also like land vertebrates, the palate was fused with the brain case. It was relatively large for a lungfish, measuring 90 centimetres (3 ft) in length.[5][6] D. cathlesae, the only member of the subgenus Placorhynchus, could grow to particularly large sizes.[2]

References

1. "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
2. Campbell, K. S.W.; Barwick, R. E.; Senden, T. J. (2009). "Evolution of dipnoans (lungfish) in the Early Devonian of southeastern Australia". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 33 (1): 59–78. Bibcode:2009Alch...33...59C. doi:10.1080/03115510802618300. ISSN 0311-5518.
3. Clement, Alice M.; Challands, Tom J.; Long, John A.; Ahlberg, Per E. (2016-10-20). "The cranial endocast of Dipnorhynchus sussmilchi (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi) and the interrelationships of stem-group lungfishes". PeerJ. 4: e2539. doi:10.7717/peerj.2539. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 5075708. PMID 27781157.
4. Qiao, Tuo; Zhu, Min (2015-07-03). "A new Early Devonian lungfish from Guangxi, China, and its palaeogeographic significance". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 39 (3): 428–437. Bibcode:2015Alch...39..428Q. doi:10.1080/03115518.2015.1015819. ISSN 0311-5518.
5. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 45. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
6. Clement, Alice M.; Challands, Tom J.; Long, John A.; Ahlberg, Per E. (2016-10-20). "The cranial endocast of Dipnorhynchus sussmilchi (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi) and the interrelationships of stem-group lungfishes". PeerJ. 4: e2539. doi:10.7717/peerj.2539. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 5075708. PMID 27781157.