Protosphyraena perniciosa (Cope, 1874)

Remarks

• Collection:   Alabama Museum of Natural History (photos provided by David Lueth)

• Formation:  Selma Group, Mooreville Chalk

• Location:     Dallas County, AL

• Prof. Mike Everhart was kind enough to correct the spelling of this species.  It's P. perniciosa (Cope), not P. pernicosa (Cope).  Thanks so much!

General Info

Synonyms (older names and misidentifications in the literature-synonymy provided by Mike Everhart)

• 1874 Ichthyodectes perniciosus Cope

• 1875 Pelecopterus perniciosus Cope

• 1895 Protosphyraena perniciosa (Cope); Woodward

• 1900 Protosphyraena perniciosa (Cope); Loomis

• 1903 Protosphyraena perniciosa (Cope); Hay

• 1979 Protosphyraena pernicosa (Cope); Stewart (misspelled)

• 1988 Protosphyraena pernicosa (Cope); Stewart

• 1990 Protosphyraena pernicosa (Cope); Stewart

Stratigraphic Occurrence

• Niobrara Group, Smoky Hill Chalk of Kansas

• Selma Group, Mooreville Chalk of Alabama

Age

• The genus Protosphyraena, based on what we know, ranges from the late Cenomanian to the late Coniacian.  The Kansas Chalk species are late Coniacian in age (~87 mya).

Geographic Occurrence (not an all-inclusive list)

• Dallas County, AL

• England

• Germany

• Gove County, KS

Remarks

         For identification and descriptions, see:

         (Mike Everhart kindly provided following references)

• Stewart, J. D.  1979.  Biostratigraphic Distribution of Species of Protosphyraena (Osteichthyes:  Actinopterygii) in the Niobrara and Pierre Formations of Kansas.  Proceedings of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies, 89th Annual Meeting, 51−52 (abstract).

• Stewart, J. D.  1988.  The Stratigraphic Distribution of Late Cretaceous Protosphyraena in Kansas and Alabama, Geology.  In:  Nelson, M. E., ed.  Paleontology and Biostratigraphy of Western Kansas:  Articles in Honor of Myrl V. Walker.  Fort Hays Studies 3 (10), 80−94.

• Stewart, J. D.  1990.  Niobrara Formation Vertebrate Stratigraphy.  In:  Bennett, S. C., ed.  Niobrara Chalk Excursion Guidebook, The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas Geological Survey, 19−30.

• These can be found at http://www.oceansofkansas.com/Protosphyr.html, and we will cite them once we've had a chance to do our own follow up work.

• Note:  Mike's Protosphyraena page also includes a discussion of the different species in this group.