Redescription of Paraclupea chetungensis, an early clupeomorph from the Lower Cretaceous of southeastern China

Abstract

A reexamination and redescription of the Early Cretaceous clupeomorph Paraclupea chetungensis from southeastern China based on newly prepared specimens reveals a number of characters it shares with Ellimmichthys longicostatus (Cope, 1886) from eastern Brazil and Ellimmichthys goodi (Eastman, 1912) from West Africa (Equatorial Guinea) but not with Diplomystus (from western North America, eastern China, and the Middle East). These characters are summarized in a differential diagnosis of Paraclupeinae, a new subfamily within Paraclupeidae Chang and Chou, 1977. Revised diagnoses for Paraclupeidae and Paraclupea are also provided. Among the three paraclupeine species revised here, Ellimmichthys longicostatus and Ellimmichthys goodi share more putatively derived characters with each other than either does with Paraclupea chetungensis, thus indicating the monophyly of Ellimmichthys. Because of the close relationship between Paraclupea and Ellimmichthys, we find the family name Ellimmichthyidae Grande, 1982 to be a subjective junior synonym of Paraclupeidae Chang and Chou, 1977.