The youngest non-lepidosirenid lungfish of South America (Dipnoi, latest Paleocene–earliest Eocene, Argentina)

Abstract

Abstract The first lungfish tooth plate from the Las Flores Formation, Chubut, southern Argentina, is described. This is the youngest ceratodontid known from the continent. In Africa, ceratodonts disappeared in the Eocene. Afterwards, they are only known from Australia until their extinction during the Pleistocene. The Las Flores tooth plate also represents the southernmost lungfish known since the Coniacian (early Late Cretaceous). Key words: CeratodontidaeSouth Americaextinctiondiversity Acknowledgements For partial financial support: ANPCYT (PICT 913), CONICET (PIP 5608), Universidad Nacional de La Plata. For valuable information: Anne Kemp, Alison Longbottom. For permision to examine dipnoan material: Museo Padre Molina, Río Gallegos, Argentina (Adan Tauber), Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina (Marcelo Reguero), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'Bernardino Rivadavia', Buenos Aires, Argentina (Alejandro Kramarz), Museo 'Carmen Funes', Plaza Huincul, Argentina (Rodolfo Coria), Museo Patagónico de Ciencias Naturales, General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina (Pablo Chafrat), Museo Prof. Dr. Juan Olsacher (Alberto Garrido), Museo 'Carlos Ameghino' (Carlos Muñoz), Natural History Museum, London, England.