New holostean (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) from the Nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Upper Jurassic, Late Kimmeridgian), Germany

本项目拟对最近在德国西南部努斯普林根地区发现的一个新的盐形分类群进行解剖学、分类学和系统发育关系的研究。在halecomorphs中，新的鱼最接近一些中三叠世的类群，可能代表最古老的ionoscopiforms或一个独立的和更基础的血统。因此，这个新的Nusplingen分类群的形态学和分支系统学研究可能是至关重要的，以重新评估目前的系统发育假说Halecomorphi和提高我们的理解，这一重要的脊椎动物群的早期进化。此外，经过一段时间的分子系统发育学的主导地位，忽视了古生物学在系统学中的作用，以及随后的时间的讨论，在所谓的分子与形态学的“争议”的框架，进化生物学家越来越多地了解到需要整合化石类群的系统发育分析和宏观进化研究。要做到这一点，需要全证据分析，包括活的和化石分类群的分子和形态数据，但由于缺乏对许多重要分类群的详细形态学研究，这是具有挑战性和困难的。在这种情况下，本文提出的研究也代表了一个有价值的贡献，完善和增加所需的形态数据的总证据研究的Neopalini的发育和宏观进化。

The present project is proposed to study the anatomy, taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of a new halecomorph taxon recently discovered in the Late Kimmeridgian of Nusplingen, Southwest Germany. Among halecomorphs, the new fish resembles most closely some Middle Triassic taxa that might represent the oldest ionoscopiforms or an independent and more basal lineage. The morphological and cladistic study of this new Nusplingen taxon might thus be crucial to reevaluate current phylogenetic hypotheses of Halecomorphi and improve our understanding of the early evolution of this important group of vertebrates. Furthermore, after a period of dominance of molecular phylogenetics, neglecting the role of palaeontology in systematics, and a subsequent time of discussions in the framework of the so-called molecules vs morphology ‘controversy’, evolutionary biologists more and more understand the need of integrating fossil taxa in phylogenetic analyses and macroevolutionary studies. To do so, Total Evidence analyses, including both molecular and morphological data of living and fossil taxa are needed but, this is challenging and difficult due to the lack of detailed morphological study of many important taxa. In this context, the study proposed herein also represents a valuable contribution to refine and increase the morphological data needed for a Total Evidence study of the phylogeny and macroevolution of Neopterygii.