Igornichthys Heyler, 1972

Štamberg, Stanislav, 2016, A new actinopterygian species of Igornichthys Heyler, 1972 from the Permian of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin (Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic), and its relationship to the actinopterygians of other European Permo- Carboniferous basins, Geodiversitas 38 (4), pp. 475-488 : 477

Genus Igornichthys Heyler, 1972

TYPE SPECIES. — Igornichthys doubingeri Heyler, 1972 .

INCLUDED SPECIES. — Igornichthys doubingeri Heyler, 1972 ; I. bohemicus n. sp.

GEOLOGIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. — Lower Permian, Autunian Basin, Krkonoše Piedmont Basin.

EMENDED DIAGNOSIS. — Supraorbital canal traverses across the frontal to the dermopterotic. One long dermosphenotic dorsally borders the orbit. Maxilla with a large maxillary plate and conspicuous postero-ventral angle, and strong mandibular. Operculum of oblong shape. Branchiostegal rays narrow and numerous. Body elongated. The outer surface of the scales is ornamented with one or two sharply pointed spines that are oriented in posteroventrad direction.

REMARKS

The first description of Igornichthys introduced by Heyler (1969) included the following diagnosis of the genus: “Maxillaire à plaque postérieure assez forte, se courbant vers le bas en arrière; mandibule forte, non élevée à l’arrière; opercule et sous-opercule assez étroits; préopercule de forme imprécise, mais courbant en avant en sa partie supérieure; rayons branchiostèges étroits et nombreux; corps allongé, pelvienne s’attachant vers la 9 e rangée d’écailles; écailles portant une ornementation très particulière formée d’une ou deux pointes dirigées postérieurement et un peu vers le bas, plaquées sur la surface de l’écaille”. Heyler (1969) unfortunately neglected to designate a type species, but resolved this situation when he designated Igornichthys doubingeri Heyler, 1972 as the type species of the genus Igornichthys Heyler, 1972 . According to the International Code of Zoological nomenclature (ICZN: art. 11.9.3) this is considered an unavailable name, and the genus Igornichthys became valid after the designation of the type species in 1972. Heyler (1969) thus provided a diagnosis of the genus Igornichthys only from the characters of I. doubingeri . The current author is convinced that the new species from the Bohemian Massif belongs to the genus Igornichthys , but differs in some characters from the type species.