Morphological and Histological Study of Chondrichthyan (Gualepis elegans)Scales from Lower Devonian, Xitun Formation in Qujing

Abstract

Abstract: Detailed morphological and histological studies of the scales of Gualepis elegans,chondrichthyan,from the Xitun Formation Early Devonian of Qujing were conducted.Various methods and techniques such as high resolution Computed Tomography,Three-dimensional Reconstruction,Scanning Electron microscopy and histology thin sections were used to systematically and comprehensively analyze the scales of the Gualepis elegans.According to the morphological characteristics of the scales,the scales of the Gualepis elegans were divided into six morphotypes that were described and compared in detail.By comparing the morphology and histology of numerous scales in different growth stages,the four growth stages of the Gualepis elegans scales were divided.In this work,the classification and detailed study of the scale morphotypes of the Gualepis elegans and the determination of their growth pattern increase our understanding of Gualepis elegans and provide significant data for the evolution and phylogeny of early chondrichthyans.

Key words: Qujing, Lower Devonian, Gualepis elegans, morphology, histology

CLC Number:

Q913.85

PENG Lijian, LI Qiang. Morphological and Histological Study of Chondrichthyan (Gualepis elegans)Scales from Lower Devonian, Xitun Formation in Qujing[J]. Journal of Qujing Normal University, 2021, 40(6): 17-23.

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