Namatozodia

Namatozodia Temporal range: Early Triassic, Induan-Olenekian ~251–247 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Sarcopterygii
Class:	Dipnoi
Order:	Ceratodontiformes
Family:	†Gnathorhizidae
Genus:	†Namatozodia Kemp, 1993
Species:	†N. pitikanta
Binomial name
†Namatozodia pitikanta Kemp, 1993

Namatozodia is an extinct genus of prehistoric lungfish. The genus, and its sole species, Namatozodia pitikanta, are described in Kemp (1993). The only known example of the species and genus is a small skull found in the Arcadia Formation of the Crater, in Western Queensland, Australia.[1][2] This is an early Triassic formation.

Discovery and naming

The holotype specimen, QM F15000, is a partial calvarium without associated tooth material found at the Crater, near Rolleston in western Queensland.[1]

The name Namatozodia is derived from the Greek νᾶμα, nama, or stream, and zodiaion, a diminutive of animal. Pitikanta is an Aboriginal word for 'young' in a dialect local to the area the fossil was found.[1]

Description

The known skull of Namatozodia is small, measuring only 7 millimeters by 3.5 millimeters, coming from an individual perhaps just 6 to 7 centimeters long, a size comparable to a juvenile Australian lungfish. However the skull bones are fully developed, apparently sutured and mineralized, and the individual was not necessarily juvenile.[1]

References

• Kemp, A. (1993). Problematic Triassic dipnoans from Australia. In The Nonmarine Triassic: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin, 3, 223–227. Lucas, S.G. and M. Morales, eds.

1. Lucas, Spencer G.; Morales, Michael. The Nonmarine Triassic: Bulletin 3. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
2. Kear, Benjamin P.; Hamilton-Bruce, Robert J. (2011). Dinosaurs in Australia: Mesozoic Life from the Southern Continent. Csiro Publishing. ISBN 978-0-643-10045-9.