Evidence of Coelacanths in Rhaetian Triassic of England

Evidence for coelacanths in the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) of England

Authors:

1. Luke M. Hauser (a)
2. David M. Martill (a)

Affiliation:

a. Palaeobiology Research Group, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO1 3QL, UK

Abstract:

The right gular plate of an indeterminate coelacanth from the Westbury Formation (Upper Triassic, Rhaetian) of Blue Anchor Point, Somerset, southwest England is reported. This occurrence represents the first convincing evidence of coelacanths from the Triassic of the United Kingdom. The new specimen suggests a fish of approximately 0.61 m length.