Celtipristis, KRIWET, 1999

Kriwet, Jürgen, Nunn, Elizabeth V. & Klug, Stefanie, 2009, Neoselachians (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) from the Lower and lower Upper Cretaceous of north-eastern Spain, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (2), pp. 316-347 : 330

GENUS CELTIPRISTIS KRIWET, 1999 A

Type species: Celtipristis herreroi Kriwet, 1999a from the Barremian of Alcaine , Province of Teruel, northeastern Spain .

CELTIPRISTIS HERREROI KRIWET, 1999 A

( FIGS 7U–X , 8 , 9A–P )

Material: Thirty-two identifiable specimens, MPZ 2005-25. Level of preservation varies, from very wellpreserved specimens with a complete root, to specimens consisting only of an isolated crown.

Occurrence: Samples 2–6 from the highstand systems tract, representing a deepening succession of fully marine conditions and shallowing of the marine conditions (facies 3 and 4) of the upper Blesa Formation (upper Barremian), Oliete subbasin.

Description: These teeth are small, with a marked heterodonty. Some of the teeth are broader than they are deep, whilst others are deeper than broad depending on jaw position. They have a cross-shaped cuspidate crown in occlusal view, where some specimens are bent lingually on the shoulders. In oral view, all specimens appear notably rectangular on the labial margin, and on some specimens this margin is slightly bifurcate. The central cusp is lingually placed, with a sharp, well-marked transverse occlusal crest running through the apex. The labial face overhangs the root, and has a prominent central protuberance that is very bulbous in the majority of the specimens, but less pronounce in others. Where the central protuberance is well defined, the rim also tends to have more pronounced short vertical folds. The lingual face is abrupt, and has a generally short and broad central uvula, with a rounded extremity that often has a weak central depression for tooth interlocking. There is always one pair of lateral uvulae that vary from very faint to well marked and rounded, and separated from the main uvula by a narrow notch. The root is massive, narrow and vertical. It often extends laterally beyond the crown, and the two lobes are separated by a deep and broad nutritive groove. The margino-lingual faces are well developed, and show one pair of foramina, and a continuous well-defined collar about the uvulae.

Remarks: Celtipristis herreroi originally was described from the Lower Barremian of Alcaine by Kriwet (1999a). The specimens presented here were also recovered from the subbasin of Oliete in Alcaine, but from slightly further up the same sedimentary sequence.

Celtipristis displays tooth morphologies very different from sclerorhynchiforms with ‘cross-like crowns’ bearing a well-developed labial apron, such as Dalpiazia , Ischyrhiza , Kiestus , Onchopristis , Pucapristis , Plicatopristis and Renepetia. Its dental morphologies are more similar to those found in Archingeayia , Baharipristis , Biropristis , Borodinopristis , Ctenopristis , Ganopristis , Libanopristis , Micropristis , Ptychotrygon , Sclerorhynchus and Texatrygon ( Vullo et al., 2007) . Kriwet (2004) has indicated that at least two groups on subordinal level can be distinguished within Sclerorhynchiformes based on tooth morphologies.

Celtipristis is a highly endemic taxon restricted to near-coastal marine environments along the eastern Tethyal coastline of Iberia. The most notable feature of teeth of Celtipristis for differentiation from teeth of other sclerohynchiforms is the strong constriction between crown and root. The new and abundant material allows the recognition of its dental heterodonty for the first time. Up to now, no rostral spines assignable to C. herreroi have been recovered. Nevertheless, its placement within Sclerorhynchiformes is justified by its very characteristic tooth morphology, which resembles that of several other sclerorhynchiforms.

Figures

Figure 7. A–D, Rhinobatoidei indet. A, labial view. B, lateral view. C, lingual view. D, occlusal. E–T, Platypterix venustulus gen. et. sp. nov. E–H, anterior male tooth. E, labial view. F, lateral view. G, lingual view. H, occlusal view. I–L, lateral male tooth. I, labial view. J, lateral view. K, lingual view. L, occlusal view. M–P, anterior female tooth. M, labial view. N, lateral view. O, lingual view. P, occlusal view. Q–T, lateral female tooth. Q, labial view. R, lateral view. S, lingual view. T, occlusal view. U–X, Celtipristis herreroi (Kriwet, 1999b). U, labial view. V, lateral view. W, lingual view. X, occlusal view. All scale bars equal 0.5 mm.

Figure 8. Celtipristis herreroi (Kriwet, 1999b). A–D, lateral tooth. A, labial view. B, lateral view. C, lingual view. D, occlusal view. E–H, anterior (?) tooth. E, labial view. F, lateral view. G, lingual view. H, occlusal view. I–L, lateral tooth. I, labial view. J, lateral view. K, lingual view. L, occlusal view. M–P, anterior–lateral tooth. M, labial view. N, lateral view. O, lingual view. P, occlusal view. Q–T, anterior tooth. Q, labial view. R, lateral view. S, lingual view. T, occlusal view. U–X, anterior–lateral (lateral?) tooth. U, labial view. V, lateral view. W, lingual view. X, occlusal view. All scale bars equal 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. A–P, Celtipristis herreroi (Kriwet, 1999b). A–D, anterior tooth. A, labial view. B, lateral view. C, lingual view. D, occlusal view. E–H, antero–lateral (?) tooth. E, labial view. F, lateral view. G, lingual view. H, occlusal view. I–L, lateral tooth. I, labial view. J, lateral view. K, lingual view. L, occlusal view. M–P, anterior tooth. M, labial view. N, lateral view. O, lingual view. P, occlusal view. Q–X, Ptychotrygon geyeri (Kriwet, 1999a). Q–T, lateral tooth. Q, labial view. R, lateral view. S, lingual view. T, occlusal view. U–X, latero-posterior tooth. U, labial view. V, lateral view. W, lingual view. X, occlusal view. All scale bars equal 0.5 mm.