A new polypterid fish: Polypterus faraou sp. nov. (Cladistia, Polypteridae) from the Late Miocene Toros-Menalla, Chad

Abstract

Polypterus faraou sp. nov. (Cladistia, Polypteridae) from the Late Miocene of Toros-Menalla (western Djourab, Chad) is described on the basis of a subcomplete articulated skeleton preserved in three dimensions. This is the first time such a complete fossil polypterid skeleton has been described. It is the only verifiable fossil record for the genus Polypterus. P. faraou closely resembles P. bichir and P. endlicheri, extant fish found in the Chad-Chari system. Intrarelationships among the polypterids are not yet resolved: however, P. faraou shows a primitive shape of the body and a primitive shape of the opening of the lateral line on the scales, similar to that of three living species (P. bichir, P. endlicheri and P. ansorgii). © 2006 The Linnean Society of London.