Palaeobalistum Blainville, 1818

Poyato-Ariza F. J. & Wenz S., 2002, A new insight into pycnodontiform fishes, Geodiversitas 24 (1), pp. 139-248 : 150

Genus Palaeobalistum Blainville, 1818

TYPE SPECIES. — By monotypy: Palaeobalistum orbiculatum Blainville, 1818 ( Fig. 4A ). Early to middle Eocene from Monte Bolca, Italy. Holotype of Palaeobalistum orbiculatum: MNHN BOL 0523. The name Palaeobalistum orbiculatum is based on the specimen MNHN BOL 0523, illustrated by Volta (1809 [1796]: pl. 40), who mentioned it as the Recent species Diodon orbicularis Bloch, 1785 . This nominal taxon is available under Art. 12.2.7 of the ICZN and the specimen in MNHN is therefore the holotype by monotypy (Art. 73.1.2). Heckel (1856) redescribed Palaeobalistum orbiculatum based on a second specimen ( NHML P9830), which is neither conspecific, nor even congeneric (see under Abdobalistum n. gen. above, and the Results section below). In his revision of Palaeobalistum, Blot (1987: 88-90) erred in considering that both the genus Palaeobalistum and the species P. orbiculatum were “ nomina nuda ”, and instead considered that Heckel (1856) was the author of Palaeobalistum orbiculatum , typified by NHML P.9830. Furthermore, Blot (1987) established the nominal species Palaeobalistum zignoi typified by MNHN BOL 0523, i.e. a junior objective synonym of Palaeobalistum orbiculatum . The specific name zignoi is therefore an invalid name, and Palaeobalistum is a monotypic genus.

INVALID NAMES. — “ Palaeobalistum ” bassanii ( D’Erasmo, 1914) , for comments see? Proscinetes bassanii . “ Palaeobalistum ” flavellatum ( Cope, 1886) , see Nursallia flavellatum ? above. “ Palaeobalistum ” gutturosum ( Arambourg, 1954) , also cited under this species name by Lehman (1966: fig. 166), see Nursallia ? gutturosum above. “ Palaeobalistum ” ponsorti , see under Oropycnodus n. gen. “ Palaeobalistum zignoi ” Blot, 1987 , see under Abdobalistum n. gen.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — MNHN BOL 0523 (holotype and only specimen; complete individual with skull badly preserved; Fig. 4A ) .

Figures

FIG. 4. — Forms previously referred to the genus Palaeobalistum Blainville, 1818; A, P. orbiculatum Blainville, 1818, type species, holotype, MNHN BOL 0523. Photo Serrette; B, Oropycnodus ponsorti n. comb., lectotype, NMW.1854.XXXIX.38. Photo Schumacher, courtesy Ortwin Schultz; C, D, Abdobalistum thyrsus n. gen., n. sp., part and counterpart of the holotype, NMHL P.9830a-b. Photos courtesy P. Forey. Scale bars: A, 5 cm; B-D, 2 cm.