Diagnosis |
A comparison of the meristic characters reveals that the values obtained from the fossil Aphanius persicus (Priem, 1908) are similar to those obtained from the extant A. persicus (Jenkins, 1910), but that the mean numbers of dorsal-fin rays and pectoral fin rays are lower in the fossil. In addition, differences are recognizable with regard to the scales (size and morphology) and teeth (sizes of lateral cusps). The scales are considerably smaller in the fossil than in the extant species. In addition, the morphology of the scales differs as the radii of the fossil scales are separated from each other in the anterior part of the scale, whereas the radii in the scales of the extant species lack this separation. Moreover, the fossil scales have a lower number of circuli and radii in the anterior field than the scales of the recent species. the comparison of the tricuspid jaw teeth at the premaxillary and dentary reveals that the central cusp is of similar length in the fossil and the extant species, but that the lateral cusps are slightly longer (0.05 mm) in the fossil in comparison with the recent species (0.02–0.03 mm) (Ref. 88150). |