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Fissodus sp.

Fissodus teeth
Teeth from Fissodus bifidus (modified from St. John & Worthen, 1875). Scale in mm.

Fissodus is a petalodont that is known only from several associated teeth from the Bear Gulch Limestone.  Fissodus teeth may be found in most North American mid-continental Mississippian marine deposits. The type species is Fissodus bifidus St. John & Worthen 1875. Teeth have very high, thin, non-denticulated crowns. The known teeth vary subtly in shape, and judging from other petalodont teeth, the cleft (bifid) teeth may be median lower teeth.

Reference:

  • Lund, R. 1989. "New petalodonts (Chondrichthyes) from the Upper Mississippian Bear Gulch Limestone (Namurian E2b) of Montana." J. Vert. Paleo. 9:350-368.
  • St. John, O.H., and A.H. Worthen. 1875. "Descriptions of Fossil Fishes." Geological Survey of Illinois 6: 245-488. Plate 9, figs. 5 & 6.
2/1/2006 

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