A notopterid skull (Teleostei, Osteoglossomorpha) from the continental early Cretaceous of southern Morocco. American Museum novitates ; no. 3260

Abstract

"Palaeonotopterus is an extinct osteoglossomorph and represents the oldest known fossil notopterid, coming from the continental late Albian or early Cenomanian of southern Morocco. The taxon is founded upon a single isolated braincase, and the discovery of a second braincase of Palaeonotopterus greenwoodi (described here) permits the original description to be expanded. Palaeonotopterus is more closely related to modem notopterids than to mormyrids and gymnarchids, but it is more primitive than all four modern notopterid genera, which share at least six cranial synapomorphies not observed in either of the fossil braincases"--P. [1].