Comparative neurocranial morphology of angelsharks from the south-western Atlantic Ocean (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii, Squatinidae): implications for taxonomy and phylogeny

de Carvalho MR., Faro C. and Gomes UL. 2010. Comparative neurocranial morphology of angelsharks from the south‐western Atlantic Ocean (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii, Squatinidae): implications for taxonomy and phylogeny. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00:1–13 Neurocrania of three species of angelshark...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta zoologica (Stockholm) 2012-04, Vol.93 (2), p.171-183
Main Authors: de Carvalho, Marcelo R., Faro, Caio, Gomes, Ulisses L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy & physiology
Animal populations
braincase
Chondrichthyes
Elasmobranchii
Head
Morphology
Sharks
Squatina
Squatina guggenheim
Squatinidae
systematics
Zoology
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Summary:de Carvalho MR., Faro C. and Gomes UL. 2010. Comparative neurocranial morphology of angelsharks from the south‐western Atlantic Ocean (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii, Squatinidae): implications for taxonomy and phylogeny. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00:1–13 Neurocrania of three species of angelsharks from the south‐western Atlantic Ocean, occurring off south‐eastern and southern Brazil, are described. A detailed morphological description is provided of the neurocranium of Squatina guggenheim and compared with S. argentina and S. occulta. Despite being generally conservative, the neurocranium of Squatina presents significant differences among these species which aid in their identification, which is otherwise problematical. The main distinctions were found in rostral projections, anterior fontanellae, supraorbital crests, upper and lower postorbital processes, otic capsules, suborbital crests, and pterotic processes. Squatina guggenheim and S. occulta share more neurocranial characters when compared to S. argentina. No basal angle was found, but we confirm the presence of a very much reduced and barely noticeable basioccipital fovea in Squatina; systematic implications within elasmobranchs of these and other features are discussed.
ISSN:0001-7272
1463-6395
DOI:10.1111/j.1463-6395.2010.00495.x