A new species of the genus Caturus (Caturidae, Amiiformes) from the Upper Jurassic of the Solnhofen Archipelago (Germany)

Abstract The osteology and the systematic position of Caturus enkopicaudalis sp. nov. a fossil fish from the marine Upper Jurassic of Southern Germany, are studied in details. The characters of the skull, the general morphology and some features of the caudal skeleton strongly support the referral of this fish to the family Caturidae within the order Amiiformes. The new species belongs to the genus Caturus having a slender rod like maxilla; a high number of branchiostegal rays; block-like ural neural arches. Caturus enkopicaudalis differs from the other species of the genus mainly in the shape of the caudal fin, which is double emarginate with a central plateau; multiple small ganoin scales covering the anterior part of the caudal fin and the significantly higher number of scales rows.