Four New Early Devonian Ischnacanthid Acanthodians from the Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada: An Early Experiment in Dental Diversity

• Published in: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
• Main Authors: Stephanie A. Blais, Chelsea R. Hermus, Mark V. H. Wilson
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2015
• Subjects: Canada; Northwest Territories; Mackenzie mountains
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2014.948546

The Early Devonian (Lochkovian) Man On The Hill (MOTH) locality in the Northwest Territories has yielded hundreds of exquisitely preserved specimens of over 72 different species of early vertebrates, greatly increasing our understanding of the diversity of this period. In this paper, we describe three new genera comprising four new species of ischnacanthid acanthodian, based on their dentigerous jaw bones and teeth. This taxonomic diversity reflects some of the diversity of dentition found among ischnacanthiform acanthodians at the MOTH locality, in contrast to their highly conservative body forms. This high diversity of related forms suggests an early radiation in jaw and tooth morphology in Early Devonian ischnacanthiform acanthodians in this region. All ischnacanthiform specimens from MOTH were originally assigned to Ischnacanthus gracilis. However, study of the unique jaw and tooth morphology of MOTH ischnacanthiform specimens indicates that it is unlikely that Ischnacanthus was present at the MOTH locality.