Belantsea montana
There is a complete covering of complex, sharp scales over head, body and fins. Few but very large teeth with bluntly serrated edges and special histologic reinforcements of the cutting edges make this fish capable of biting and chewing hard materials, like sponges, bryozoans or crinoids. Tall body and very large, well muscularized fins increase this fish’s maneuvering ability; but its cruising ability was not good at all. Belantsea ranges in size up to about 2/3 meter.
Teeth of Belantsea
Belantsea montana is a member of the Chondrichthyan order Petalodontiformes. Petalodonts are euchondrocephalans with highly specialized cutting and crushing teeth. This is only the second petalodont discovered in which the body is known; the first is the very flattened Janassa bituminosa from the Permian of Europe. The body and dentition of Belantsea are extremely different from those of Janassa. The isolated teeth of petalodonts are common throughout the Carboniferous but teeth of Belantsea are rare. The scale for the teeth is in mm.
Reference:
- Lund, R. 1989. "New petalodonts (Chondrichthyes) from the Upper Mississippian Bear Gulch Limestone (Namurian E2b) of Montana." J. Vert. Paleo. 9:350-368.