Echinoschimaera enters the LRT basal to Belantsea
Lund 1977 described
Echinochimaera meltoni (Early Mississipian, up to 13cm in length, Figs 1, 2) from the Bear Gulch Formation in Montana. In the large reptile tree (LRT, 2334 taxa) Echinochimaera nests basal to Belantsea (Fig 1) an odd sort of chimaera within the Chimaeraformes.
Note the dual dorsal fins, the anterior one is led by a spine. The belly was bulbous, the caudal region was slender.
Figure 1. Belantsea compared with Echinochimaera, the more basal of the two.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg?w=290″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-91269″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Belantsea compared with Echinochimaera, the more basal of the two. ” width=”584″ height=”604″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg?w=584&h=604 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg?w=145&h=150 145w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg?w=290&h=300 290w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/belantsea.echinochimaera588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Belantsea compared with Echinochimaera, the more basal of the two.
Figure 2. Several specimens have been assigned to Echinochimaera. Here Lund 1977 determined the male was the larger of the two diagram specimens due to the presence of pelvic claspers.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg?w=233″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-91271″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Several specimens have been assigned to Echinochimaera. Here Lund 1977 determined the male was the larger of the two diagram specimens due to the presence of pelvic claspers. ” width=”584″ height=”753″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg?w=584&h=753 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg?w=116&h=150 116w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg?w=233&h=300 233w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/echinochimaera.male_.female588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Several specimens have been assigned to Echinochimaera. Here Lund 1977 determined the male was the larger of the two diagram specimens due to the presence of pelvic claspers. That means the photo is a female specimen. These two have the appearance of a short Heterodontus (Fig 3).
In some regards
the tall, blocky face of Echinochimaera hearkens back to a chimaera ancestor in the LRT, Heterodontus (Fig 2).
In some regards the mandible in lateral view of Echinochimaera is similar to that of Helodus (Fig 3), currently best known from a diagram here tentatively colorized.
Figure 3. Heterodontus is one of several chimaera ancestors tested in the LRT. It has a face and Bauplan similar to that of Heterodontus and Belantsea (Figs 1,2)
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg?w=149″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg?w=510″ class=”size-full wp-image-91274″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg” alt=”Figure 3. Heterodontus is one of several chimaera ancestors tested in the LRT. It has a face and Bauplan similar to that of Heterodontus and Belantsea (Figs 1,2)” width=”584″ height=”1172″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg?w=584&h=1172 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg?w=75&h=150 75w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg?w=149&h=300 149w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/origin-chimaeriformes_isurus-callorhinchus588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Heterodontus is one of several chimaera ancestors tested in the LRT. It has a face and Bauplan similar to that of Heterodontus and Belantsea (Figs 1,2),
Whereas the jaw joint
is far posterior to the orbit in Isurus (Fig 3), closer to the orbit in Heterodontus, at mid-orbit in Echinochimaera, a little anterior to mid-orbit in Helodus and even more so in Callorhinchus, this is but one trait of dozens evolving from shark to chimaera in this series of taxa marking a hypothesis of interrelationships recovered by the LRT.
References
Lund JA 1977. Echinochimaera meltoni new genus and species (Chimaeriformes), from the Mississippian of Montana. Annals of Carnegie Museum 46:195-221.
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/01/23/echinoschimaera-enters-the-lrt-basal-to-belantsea/
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