Antiquaobatis Temporal range: Late Pliensbachian
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Holotype tooth | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Superorder: | Batoidea |
Order: | Rajiformes |
Genus: | †Antiquaobatis Stumpf & Kriwet, 2019 |
Species: | †A. grimmenensis
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Binomial name | |
†Antiquaobatis grimmenensis Stumpf & Kriwet, 2019
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Antiquaobatis is an extinct genus of ray from the Early Jurassic (Late Pliensbachian) of Europe, containing the single species A. grimmenensis. It is the oldest known described member of the Rajiformes, and is based on a single tooth from Pliensbachian of Northern Germany.[1] It was recovered from the Grimmen Clay Pit, on Spinatum strata that belongs in the region to the Komorowo Formation.[2] The holotype is a single antero-lateral tooth, very small and slightly asymmetrical, measuring 0.25 mm in maximum height and 0.26 mm in maximum width, that has an overall morphology, that suggests a consistent referral to Batoidea, encompassing all skates and rays.[1] The tooth has an overall rather gracile crown morphology, different from any other know jurassic batomorphs, indicating closest affinities to the monotypic genus Engaibatis schultzei from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian of Tanzania.[1]