Dhanguura is an extinct genus of arthrodire from the Early Devonian of Wee Jasper, NSW. It contains the single species D. johnstoni.[1]

Dhanguura
Temporal range: Early Devonian
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Placodermi
Order: Arthrodira
Suborder: Brachythoraci
Genus: Dhanguura
Johnston, 1993
Species:
D. johnstoni
Binomial name
Dhanguura johnstoni
Johnston, 1993

Etymology

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Dhanguura comes from the Aboriginal word "dhanguurr", meaning "fish", in the Wiradjuri tribe's language, because they inhabited the area, west of Wee Jasper. The species name, "johnstoni" is in honor of the discoverer of the genus, Dr. Paul Johnston, who found Dhanguura in 1993.[1]

Description

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Dhanguura is known from fossilized remains of an incomplete skull, the nuchal plate 23 cm in length, and the entire headshield estimated at 40 cm.[1] According to the article cited, Dhanguura probably exceeded the contemporary Taemasosteus in size.[1]

Taxonomy

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Dhanguura was thought to be a member of Homostiidae, according to Young, 2004, but a phylogenetic analyses by Zhu et al. 2015, does not support this, with Dhanguura now considered a basal brachythoracid.[2]

Elvaspis tuberculata

Dicksonosteus arcticus

Turrisaspis elektor

Groenlandaspis antarcticus

Holonema westolli

Brachythoraci

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Young, G. C. (2004). "Large brachythoracid arthrodires (placoderm fishes) from the Early Devonian of Wee Jasper, New South Wales, Australia, with a discussion of basal brachythoracid characters". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (1): 1–17.
  2. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282940581_Redescription_of_Yinostius_major_Arthrodira_Heterostiidae_from_the_Lower_Devonian_of_China_and_the_interrelationships_of_Brachythoraci