<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><article article-type="normal" xml:lang="en">
   <front>
      <journal-meta>
         <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">PALEVO</journal-id>
         <issn>1631-0683</issn>
         <publisher>
            <publisher-name>Elsevier</publisher-name>
         </publisher>
      </journal-meta>
      <article-meta>
         <article-id pub-id-type="pii">S1631-0683(03)00062-9</article-id>
         <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1016/S1631-0683(03)00062-9</article-id>
         <article-categories>
            <subj-group subj-group-type="type">
               <subject>Research article</subject>
            </subj-group>
            <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
               <subject>Systematic Palaeontology (Vertebrate Palaeontology)</subject>
            </subj-group>
         </article-categories>
         <title-group>
            <article-title>A new Semionotid (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) from the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous of Thailand</article-title>
         </title-group>
         <contrib-group content-type="authors">
            <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
               <name>
                  <surname>Cavin</surname>
                  <given-names>Lionel</given-names>
               </name>
               <email>l.cavin@nhm.ac.uk</email>
               <xref rid="AFF1" ref-type="aff">
                  <sup>a</sup>
               </xref>
               <xref rid="FN1" ref-type="fn">
                  <sup>†</sup>
               </xref>
            </contrib>
            <contrib contrib-type="author">
               <name>
                  <surname>Suteethorn</surname>
                  <given-names>Varavudh</given-names>
               </name>
               <xref rid="AFF2" ref-type="aff">
                  <sup>b</sup>
               </xref>
            </contrib>
            <contrib contrib-type="author">
               <name>
                  <surname>Khansubha</surname>
                  <given-names>Sasidhorn</given-names>
               </name>
               <xref rid="AFF3" ref-type="aff">
                  <sup>c</sup>
               </xref>
            </contrib>
            <contrib contrib-type="author">
               <name>
                  <surname>Buffetaut</surname>
                  <given-names>Eric</given-names>
               </name>
               <xref rid="AFF4" ref-type="aff">
                  <sup>d</sup>
               </xref>
            </contrib>
            <contrib contrib-type="author">
               <name>
                  <surname>Tong</surname>
                  <given-names>Haiyan</given-names>
               </name>
               <xref rid="AFF4" ref-type="aff">
                  <sup>d</sup>
               </xref>
            </contrib>
            <aff-alternatives id="AFF1">
               <aff>
                  <label>a</label> Gis PalSédCo, Espéraza–Toulouse, musée des Dinosaures, 11260 Espéraza, France</aff>
            </aff-alternatives>
            <aff-alternatives id="AFF2">
               <aff>
                  <label>b</label> Geological Survey Division, Department of Mineral Resources, Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand</aff>
            </aff-alternatives>
            <aff-alternatives id="AFF3">
               <aff>
                  <label>c</label> Geological Survey Division, Department of Mineral Resources, Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand</aff>
            </aff-alternatives>
            <aff-alternatives id="AFF4">
               <aff>
                  <label>d</label> CNRS, 16, cour du Liégat, 75013 Paris, France</aff>
            </aff-alternatives>
            <fn id="FN1" symbol="1">
               <label>1</label>
               <p>Current address: Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.</p>
            </fn>
         </contrib-group>
         <pub-date-not-available/>
         <volume>2</volume>
         <issue>5</issue>
         <issue-id pub-id-type="pii">S1631-0683(00)X0013-9</issue-id>
         <fpage seq="0" content-type="normal">291</fpage>
         <lpage content-type="normal">297</lpage>
         <history>
            <date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2002-07-01"/>
            <date date-type="accepted" iso-8601-date="2003-06-16"/>
         </history>
         <permissions>
            <copyright-statement>© 2003 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</copyright-statement>
            <copyright-year>2003</copyright-year>
            <copyright-holder>Académie des sciences</copyright-holder>
         </permissions>
         <self-uri xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="application/pdf" xlink:href="main.pdf">
                        Full (PDF)
                    </self-uri>
         <abstract abstract-type="author">
            <p>A new semionotid fish, <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic> n. sp., is described from the continental Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Phu Kradung Formation, Phu Nam Jun, Kalasin Province. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> is characterized notably by the pattern of its cheek bones, by its short preorbital region, and by its numerous and well-developed premaxillary teeth. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> is provisionally placed in the genus <italic>Lepidotes</italic>; it shares, however, derived characters with other semionotids, such as <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> and <italic>Pliodetes. <bold/>
               </italic>
            </p>
         </abstract>
         <trans-abstract abstract-type="author" xml:lang="fr">
            <p>
               <bold>Un nouveau Semionotidae (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) du Jurassique terminal–Crétacé basal de Thaïlande.</bold> Un nouveau sémionotidé, <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic> n. sp., est décrit en provenance du Jurassique terminal–Crétacé basal de la formation continentale de Phu Kradung à Phu Nam Jun, province de Kalasin. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> se caractérise notamment par la disposition des os de la joue, par une région pré-orbitaire réduite, par de nombreuses dents prémaxillaires bien développées. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> est provisoirement placé dans le genre <italic>Lepidotes</italic>, bien qu’il présente des caractères dérivés d’autres sémionotidés tels qu’<italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> et <italic>Pliodetes. <bold>Pour citer cet article : L. Cavin et al., C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).</bold>
               </italic>
            </p>
         </trans-abstract>
         <kwd-group>
            <unstructured-kwd-group>New taxon, Asia, Pisces, Semionotidae</unstructured-kwd-group>
         </kwd-group>
         <kwd-group xml:lang="fr">
            <unstructured-kwd-group>Taxon nouveau, Asie, Pisces, Semionotidae</unstructured-kwd-group>
         </kwd-group>
         <custom-meta-group>
            <custom-meta>
               <meta-name>miscellaneous</meta-name>
               <meta-value>Presented by Yves Coppens</meta-value>
            </custom-meta>
         </custom-meta-group>
      </article-meta>
   </front>
   <body>
      <sec xml:lang="fr">
         <title>Version française abrégée</title>
         <p>Les sédiments mésozoïques du plateau de Khorat (groupe de Khorat), dans le Nord-Est de la Thaïlande, ont fourni de riches assemblages de vertébrés entre le Trias supérieur et le Crétacé inférieur (voir <xref rid="BIB4" ref-type="bibr">[4]</xref> pour une revue récente des découvertes). Peu de restes de poissons osseux ont été découverts à ce jour dans ces dépôts <xref rid="BIB2" ref-type="bibr">[2]</xref>, <xref rid="BIB8" ref-type="bibr">[8]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB9" ref-type="bibr">[9]</xref>. La nouvelle espèce de sémionotidé décrite dans ce travail repose sur des spécimens collectés dans la formation Phu Kradung, sur le versant de la colline Phu Nam Jun, Tambon Laoyai, province de Kalasin. Des dizaines de spécimens fragmentaires ont été déposés au Wat (temple) voisin de Buddhabutr. Cinq spécimens ont été sélectionnés dans ce lot pour servir à la description du nouveau taxon. Ils sont déposés dans la collection du département des Ressources minérales (DMR) à Sahat Sakhan, province de Kalasin.</p>
         <p>Les dépôts post-triasiques du groupe de Khorat ont longtemps été considérés comme étant d’âge Jurassique. Des études palynologiques ont fourni des âges Crétacé inférieur <xref rid="BIB11" ref-type="bibr">[11]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB12" ref-type="bibr">[12]</xref>. La formation la plus inférieure, la formation Phu Kradung, n’a cependant produit aucun palynomorphe datable et son âge, contraint par les formations sus-jacentes, est, soit Jurassique terminal, soit Crétacé basal. La formation Phu Kradung contient une faune de vertébrés diversifiée, généralement préservée sous forme d’éléments isolés. La faune comprend des dinosaures (théropodes, sauropodes, ornithopodes et stégosaures), ainsi que des crocodiles, des tortues et des temnospondyles <xref rid="BIB4" ref-type="bibr">[4]</xref>. Les milieux de dépôts varient entre des chenaux fluviatiles et des environnements lacustres <xref rid="BIB3" ref-type="bibr">[3]</xref>.</p>
         <p>
            <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic> n. sp. se caractérise par une région pré-orbitaire raccourcie ; le toit crânien est légèrement concave en vue latérale (K12–3, <xref rid="FIG1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 1B</xref>) ; les frontaux sont courts, approximativement rectangulaires ; il y a plus d’une paire d’extrascapulaires ; les dermosphénotiques sont grands, les infraorbitaires et les suborbitaires sont peu nombreux (respectivement 8/9 et 2/3) ; une partie de la joue est occupée par un infraorbitaire élargi qui entre en contact avec le préopercule ; le prémaxillaire porte de nombreuses (environ 12) et fortes dents légèrement recourbées ; les deux branches du préopercule sont disposées approximativement à angle droit, la branche horizontale étant légèrement plus courte que la verticale.</p>
         <p>D’autres caractères significatifs sont les suivants : les os crâniens sont lisses, à l’exception de quelques rides longitudinales sur la partie postérieure du toit crânien et de quelques tubercules sur les dermosphénotiques de grandes tailles, un prémaxillaire avec un processus nasal bien développé, des vomers pairs (<xref rid="FIG2" ref-type="fig">Fig. 2A</xref>). Le maxillaire, la mandibule et l’écaillure sont incomplètement préservés sur les spécimens décrits ici. Le nombre de rangées d’écailles situées juste à l’arrière de la ceinture pectorale est d’environ 18. Les écailles faîtières portent une arête médiane peu développée, mais elles n’ont pas d’épine pointée postérieurement.</p>
         <p>Olsen et McCune <xref rid="BIB10" ref-type="bibr">[10]</xref> ont réduit la famille des Semionotidés à deux genres : <italic>Semionotus</italic> et <italic>Lepidotes</italic>. Deux apomorphies les réunissent : la présence (1) d’une série dorsale d’écailles faîtières et (2) d’un processus postérieur sur l’épiotique bien développé. La famille des Semionotidae a ensuite été élargie en y incluant <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> du Crétacé du Brésil <xref rid="BIB7" ref-type="bibr">[7]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB19" ref-type="bibr">[19]</xref>, <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> du Trias d’Europe <xref rid="BIB16" ref-type="bibr">[16]</xref>, et <italic>Pliodetes</italic> du Crétacé inférieur du Niger <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>. Thies <xref rid="BIB15" ref-type="bibr">[15]</xref> a proposé une diagnose émendée de <italic>Lepidotes :</italic> semionotidé fusiforme avec (3) un vomer impair ou co-ossifié chez l’adulte, (4) plus d’un suborbital, (5) le dentalosplénial présente un long processus postérieur, atteignant le bord postérieur de la mandibule, (6) deux chambres sont creusées dans l’épiotique et (7) les écailles faîtières dorsales sont simples, sans épine postérieure.</p>
         <p>
            <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> présente les caractères (1), (4) et (7). Le caractère (3) est absent chez K12–6, mais les vomers ne fusionnent que chez les <italic>Lepidotes</italic> de grande taille et une suture médiane est toujours visible <xref rid="BIB15" ref-type="bibr">[15]</xref>. Le vomer est pair chez les genres <italic>Pliodetes</italic> et <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> ; il est possible que la fusion des vomers se produise uniquement chez les formes à dentition broyeuse <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>.</p>
         <p>Cette revue des caractères permet d’attribuer les spécimens décrits ici à la famille des Semionotidae, et de les inclure provisoirement dans le genre <italic>Lepidotes</italic>.</p>
         <p>L’arrangement des os de la joue (suborbitaux) est considéré par Jain et Robinson <xref rid="BIB6" ref-type="bibr">[6]</xref> comme un caractère permettant des regroupements d’espèces au sein du genre <italic>Lepidotes</italic>. Ces auteurs reconnaissent deux groupes : l’un comprend les espèces avec deux à six suborbitaux, disposés en une seule rangée entre l’anneau circumorbitaire et la série operculaire (<italic>L. elvensis, L. semiserratus, L. laevis, L. pustulosus, L. leedsi, L. notopterus, L. toombsi, L. minor, L. lennieri, L. yaoanensis, L. xinjinensis, L. luchowensis, L. tendaguruensis</italic> et <italic>L. alagoensis</italic>), l’autre comprend les espèces avec sept suborbitaux ou plus. Deux sous-groupes sont reconnus au sein de ce dernier ensemble : les espèces à suborbitaux disposés sur une rangée unique (<italic>L. mantelli</italic>), et celles à suborbitaux nombreux disposés en mosaïque (<italic>L. maximus, L. latifrons, L. roxoi</italic> et <italic>L. souzai</italic>). Wenz <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref> utilise également ce caractère, mais élargit sa définition aux différents genres de Semionotidae. Elle reconnaît un groupe incluant <italic>Semionotus</italic> et <italic>Paralepidotus</italic>, avec un suborbital anamestique unique, un groupe incluant <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> et certaines espèces de <italic>Lepidotes</italic>, avec deux à dix suborbitaux disposés en une seule rangée et un groupe incluant <italic>Pliodetes</italic> et certains <italic>Lepidotes</italic> avec des suborbitaux disposés en mosaïque.</p>
         <p>Selon ce caractère, <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> est inclus dans le groupe rassemblant <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> et certaines des espèces de <italic>Lepidotes</italic> (celles possédant de deux à six suborbitaux disposés en une seule rangée). Il est cependant important de noter que le nombre et l’arrangement des suborbitaux sont variables à l’intérieur d’une même espèce et peuvent varier légèrement d’un côté à l’autre d’un même crâne <xref rid="BIB6" ref-type="bibr">[6]</xref>. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> et <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> ont un infraorbitaire postéroventral élargi postérieurement, qui entre en contact avec le préopercule. <italic>Lepidotes tendaguruensis</italic> présente également un infraorbitaire dans le coin postéro-ventral de l’orbite, qui est élargi ; mais, dans cette espèce, il n’atteint pas le développement observé chez <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> et ne remplit pas la lacune de la joue <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref>. <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> possède également un grand infraorbitaire postéroventral <xref rid="BIB16" ref-type="bibr">[16]</xref>.</p>
         <p>La combinaison des caractères observés sur les spécimens de Thaïlande montre clairement que nous sommes en présence d’une espèce nouvelle. L’arrangement des os de la joue la rapproche de certaines des espèces de <italic>Lepidotes</italic> (voir ci-dessus). Cependant, d’autres caractères, tels qu’une région antorbitaire réduite et la présence de deux paires d’extrascapulaires, rappellent les genres <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> et <italic>Pliodetes</italic>. En conséquence, l’inclusion de la nouvelle espèce de Thaïlande dans le genre <italic>Lepidotes</italic> doit être considérée comme provisoire. Une comparaison plus détaillée avec d’autres espèces, notamment avec les formes dulçaquicoles du Jurassique terminal–Crétacé inférieur de Chine (<italic>Lepidotes, Sinolepidotus, Neolepidotes</italic>), doit être maintenant effectuée.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec>
         <label>1</label>
         <title>Introduction</title>
         <sec>
            <p>The Mesozoic sediments from the Khorat Plateau forming the Khorat Group, northeastern Thailand, have yielded abundant vertebrate assemblages, ranging in age from Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous (see <xref rid="BIB4" ref-type="bibr">[4]</xref> for a recent overview). However, the Thai record of Mesozoic bony fishes is scarce <xref rid="BIB2" ref-type="bibr">[2]</xref>, <xref rid="BIB8" ref-type="bibr">[8]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB9" ref-type="bibr">[9]</xref>. We describe herein a new species of semionotid from the Phu Kradung Formation. The material was collected by local people on the slope of a hill (Phu Nam Jun), Tambon Laoyai, Kalasin Province. Scores of specimens are now housed at Buddhabutr temple. Five specimens have been selected from this set in order to describe the new taxon, and are now kept in the collection of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in Sahat Sakhan.</p>
         </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec>
         <label>2</label>
         <title>Geological setting</title>
         <sec>
            <p>Post-Triassic Mesozoic deposits of the Khorat Group have long been regarded as Jurassic in age. However, palynological studies <xref rid="BIB11" ref-type="bibr">[11]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB12" ref-type="bibr">[12]</xref> have provided younger ages for most of the formations. The Phu Kradung Formation, which is the lowest formation of the Khorat Group, as currently defined, however, yielded inconclusive palynological evidence. According to age constraints provided by the overlying formations, the Phu Kradung Formation may be regarded as Late Jurassic or basal Cretaceous in age. The Phu Kradung Formation contains a diverse vertebrate assemblage, although most of the fossils are preserved as isolated elements. Among dinosaurs, remains of theropods, sauropods, ornithopods and stegosaurs have been recovered. Non-dinosaurian tetrapods comprise crocodiles, turtles and temnospondyls. The sediments of the Phu Kradung Formation were deposited in continental environments, varying from river channels to lacustrine environments <xref rid="BIB3" ref-type="bibr">[3]</xref>.</p>
         </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec>
         <label>3</label>
         <title>Systematic Palaeontology</title>
         <sec>
            <p>Division NEOPTERYGII Regan, 1923</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>Order SEMIONOTIFORMES Arambourg &amp; Bertin, 1958</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>Family SEMIONOTIDAE Woodward, 1890</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>Genus <italic>Lepidotes</italic> Agassiz, 1832</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>Type-species <italic>Lepidotes elvensis</italic> (Blainville, 1818)</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic> n. sp.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Diagnosis. Lepidotes</italic>, characterized by a reduced preorbital region; skull roof slightly concave in lateral view; frontal short, almost quadrangular in shape; more than one pair of extrascapulars; large dermosphenotic, few infraorbitals (circa 8 or 9) and few suborbitals (2/3); cheek region filled with an enlarged infraorbital, which connects the preoperculum; numerous strong (circa 12), slightly recurved teeth on the well developed premaxilla; preoperculum with two limbs arranged at an approximately right angle, the horizontal branch is slightly shorter than the vertical one.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Holotype</italic>. K12–2, collection of the DMR, Sahat Sakhan, Kalasin Province, Thailand (<xref rid="FIG1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 1A</xref>).</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Other material.</italic> K12–1, K12–3, K12–4, K12–6, isolated heads; K12–1 shows the anterior half of the trunk with squamation, and with left pectoral and pelvic fins partially preserved. The specimens are laterally compressed except K12–4, which is dorsoventrally compressed. Small differences are observed in the pattern of cranial bones among the available sample; these differences are regarded herein as intraspecific variations.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Horizon and locality</italic>. Phu Kradung Formation, Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, Phu Nam Jun, Tambon Laoyai, Kalasin Province.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>
               <italic>Derivation of name</italic>. From the Wat Buddhabutr (temple of the son of Buddha), where are housed numerous specimens.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <label>3.1</label>
            <title>Description</title>
            <sec>
               <p>The skull bones are smooth, except for some shallow longitudinal ridges on the posterior part of the skull roof, and few tubercles on the large dermosphenotic. The outline of the skull roof in lateral view was slightly concave during life, as shown by the less crushed specimen (K12–3, <xref rid="FIG1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 1B</xref>). Anteriorly, the frontal ends just in front of the level of the anterior extremity of the anterior supraorbital. Although the anterior tip of the skull is poorly preserved on the available specimens, the frontals are almost quadrangular in shape, contrary to the condition in most other semionotids in which the frontals become narrower anteriorly. Short and almost rectangular frontals are present however in <italic>Pliodetes nigeriensis</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref> and <italic>Araripelepidotes temnurus</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB7" ref-type="bibr">[7]</xref>. The dermopterotic sutures with the frontal, as opposed to the condition in <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> in which the two bones are separated by the dermosphenotic <xref rid="BIB7" ref-type="bibr">[7]</xref>. In addition to the lateral extrascapulars, there is one, possibly two (K12–2, K12–3), small median extrascapular on each side of the head. Only one pair of extrascapular bones is present in <italic>L. tendaguruensis, L. elvensis, L. deccanensis, L. leedsi</italic> and <italic>L. notopterus</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref>, but two pairs are present in <italic>Pliodetes nigeriensis</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref> and <italic>Araripelepidotes temnurus</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB7" ref-type="bibr">[7]</xref>.</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>K12–6 shows in ventral view poorly preserved paired vomers (<xref rid="FIG2" ref-type="fig">Fig. 2A</xref>).</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>The circumorbital ring is complete, to the contrary of <italic>Lepidotes lenneri</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>, <italic>L. xinjinensis</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB14" ref-type="bibr">[14]</xref>, <italic>Paralepidotus</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB16" ref-type="bibr">[16]</xref> and apparently <italic>L. tendaguruensis</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref>. The dermosphenotic is the largest bone of the ring. The posteroventral edge of the orbit is formed by one elongated infraorbital extending backward alongside the ventral margin of the large suborbital and connecting the preoperculum. There are seven infraorbitals forming the posterior and ventral margins of the orbit, possibly two infraorbitals extending toward the snout without contact with the orbit, and a small bone forms the anterior margin of the orbit (<xref rid="FIG1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 1A</xref>). There is one small dorsal suborbital, possibly two on K12–3 (<xref rid="FIG1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 1B</xref>) and a large ventral one is located between the circumorbital ring and the preoperculum.</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>The paired premaxillae show a well-developed nasal process (nappmx) extending below the frontal (K12–6, <xref rid="FIG2" ref-type="fig">Fig. 2B</xref>). The oral margin of the premaxilla bears circa 12 toothbases and complete, laterally compressed, pointed and slightly recurved teeth. The premaxillae of <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> are larger and bear more teeth than in other semionotids.</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>The mandible is poorly preserved and no salient characters may be observed.</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>The preoperculum has a relatively well-developed horizontal limb, by opposition with <italic>Semionotus</italic> and most of the species of <italic>Lepidotes</italic>, but recalling what is observed in <italic>Pliodetes nigeriensis</italic>
                  <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>. In the later species, however, the posteroventral edge of the preoperculum is sharp, while it is gently rounded in <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> (K12–3, K12–2).</p>
            </sec>
            <sec>
               <p>On K12–1, the squamation is incomplete, partially displaced and partially covered by matrix. We can however estimate that a row situated just posterior to the pectoral girdle has circa 18 scales. The dorsal ridge scales are poorly preserved: they bear a shallow ridge medially, but no pronounced spine.</p>
            </sec>
         </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec>
         <label>4</label>
         <title>Discussion</title>
         <sec>
            <p>Olsen and McCune <xref rid="BIB10" ref-type="bibr">[10]</xref> retained only two genera, <italic>Semionotus</italic> and <italic>Lepidotes</italic>, within the family Semionotidae. They define the family by the occurrence of two synapomorphies: the presence of (1) dorsal ridge scales and (2) a large posteriorly directed process on the epiotic. The family was subsequently enlarged by the inclusion of the genera <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil <xref rid="BIB7" ref-type="bibr">[7]</xref> and <xref rid="BIB19" ref-type="bibr">[19]</xref>, <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> from the Late Triassic of Europe <xref rid="BIB16" ref-type="bibr">[16]</xref>, and <italic>Pliodetes</italic> from the Early Cretaceous of Niger <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>. Thies <xref rid="BIB15" ref-type="bibr">[15]</xref> proposed a revised diagnosis for <italic>Lepidotes</italic>: fusiform semionotids with (3) an unpaired or co-ossified vomer in adults, (4) more than one suborbitals present on the cheek, (5) dentalosplenial with a long posterior process reaching the posterior border of the mandible, (6) two pockets present in the epiotic, and (7) dorsal ridge scales inconspicuous, without a posterior spine.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>The Thai specimens show characters (1), (4) and (7). Character (3) is not present on K12–6 but, as mentioned by Thies <xref rid="BIB15" ref-type="bibr">[15]</xref>, the vomers became co-ossified in larger individuals only, and still show a median suture. Moreover, the vomer is paired in <italic>Pliodetes</italic> and <italic>Paralepidotus</italic>; an unpaired vomer is possibly correlated with the presence of crushing teeth <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref>.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>These characters allow us to attribute the Thai specimens to the family Semionotidae, and to include it provisionally in the genus <italic>Lepidotes</italic>.</p>
         </sec>
         <sec>
            <p>The pattern of ‘cheek bones’ (suborbitals) has been regarded by Jain and Robinson <xref rid="BIB6" ref-type="bibr">[6]</xref> as a key character to distinguish the different species of <italic>Lepidotes</italic>. These authors recognised two groups: one group of species with two to six suborbitals arranged in a single row between the circumorbital ring and the opercular series (<italic>L. elvensis, L. semiserratus, L. laevis, L. pustulosus, L. leedsi, L. notopterus, L. toombsi, L. minor</italic> (see discussion on the generic status of the last two species in <xref rid="BIB15" ref-type="bibr">[15]</xref>), to which one can add <italic>L. lennieri, L. yaoanensis</italic>
               <xref rid="BIB13" ref-type="bibr">[13]</xref>, <italic>L. xinjinensis</italic>
               <xref rid="BIB14" ref-type="bibr">[14]</xref>, <italic>L. luchowensis</italic>
               <xref rid="BIB17" ref-type="bibr">[17]</xref>, <italic>L. tendaguruensis</italic>
               <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref> and <italic>L. alagoensis</italic>
               <xref rid="BIB5" ref-type="bibr">[5]</xref>), and another group with seven or more suborbitals. The later group is divided into two subgroups: those with the suborbitals arranged in a single row (<italic>L. mantelli</italic>), and those with suborbitals numerous and forming a mosaic of bones (<italic>L. maximus, L. latifrons, L. roxoi</italic> and <italic>L. souzai</italic>). Wenz <xref rid="BIB18" ref-type="bibr">[18]</xref> also used this character, but extended its use to the other genera of semionotids. She distinguished a group including <italic>Semionotus</italic> and <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> with a single anamestic suborbital, a group including <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> and some species of <italic>Lepidotes</italic> with two to ten suborbitals arranged in one row, and a group including <italic>Pliodetes</italic> and some species of <italic>Lepidotes</italic> with a mosaic of suborbitals. According to this character, <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> may be included in the group gathering <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> and some species of <italic>Lepidotes</italic> (those with two to six suborbitals arranged in a single row mentioned above). However, we should keep in mind that the number and arrangement of suborbitals are variable within a species, and sometimes even on the two sides of the head of a single individual, although the variation occurs within certain limit <xref rid="BIB6" ref-type="bibr">[6]</xref>. <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> shares with <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> a cheek region filled by one posteriorly expanded posteroventral infraorbital. <italic>Lepidotes tendaguruensis</italic> shows an infraorbital at the posteroventral corner of the orbit, which is enlarged and slightly expanded posteroventrally, but not reaching the development shown in <italic>L. buddhabutrensis</italic> and not filling completely the gap in the cheek region <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref>. <italic>Paralepidotus</italic> also has a very large posteroventral infraorbital <xref rid="BIB16" ref-type="bibr">[16]</xref>.</p>
         </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec>
         <label>5</label>
         <title>Conclusion</title>
         <sec>
            <p>The combination of characters of the Thai specimens clearly shows that they belong to a new species. The cheek pattern puts it together with some <italic>Lepidotes</italic> species (see above), but other characters, such as a reduced preorbital region and the presence of two pairs of extrascapulars, are reminiscent of the genera <italic>Araripelepidotes</italic> and <italic>Pliodetes</italic>. Consequently, the inclusion of this species into the genus <italic>Lepidotes</italic> is provisional, pending “a world-wide revision of the species included in the genus [...] in order to provide unambiguous synapomorphies for the genus and to define its composition” <xref rid="BIB1" ref-type="bibr">[1]</xref>. A precise comparison with other forms, notably with those from the Late Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of China (<italic>Lepidotes, Sinolepidotus, Neolepidotes</italic>), should now be performed.</p>
         </sec>
      </sec>
   </body>
   <back>
      <ack>
         <title>Acknowledgements</title>
         <p>We are grateful to the head of the Wat Buddhabutr, Phra Sakda Thammaratho, for his help and for the donation of some specimens. L. Cavin’s research was partially supported by a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship funded by the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science (grant No. 02.0335) and by the Palaeontological Research and Educational Centre of Mahasarakham University. We thank Komsorn Lauprasert for providing useful information and an anonymous referee. Fieldwork in Thailand was supported by the Thai Department of Mineral Resources, the Palaeontological Research and Educational Centre of Mahasarakham University and the ‘Centre national de la recherche scientifique’ (Paris).</p>
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   <floats-group>
      <fig id="FIG1">
         <label>Fig. 1</label>
         <caption>
            <p>
               <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic>. (<bold>A</bold>) K12–2, holotype. Right and left lateral views, scale bar: 20 mm. (<bold>B</bold>) K12–3. Right and left lateral views, scale bar: 20 mm. Abbreviations: Ch, ceratohyal; Dpt, dermopterotic; Dsp, dermosphenotic; ExScl, lateral extrascapular; ExScm, median extrascapular; Fr, frontal; Io, infraorbital; Iop, interoperculum; lj, lower jaw; Op, operculum; Pa, parietal; Pop, preoperculum; Pt, post-temporal; So, supraorbital; Sob, suborbital; Sop, suboperculum.</p>
            <p>Fig. 1. <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic>. (<bold>A</bold>) K12–2, holotype. Vues latérales droite et gauche, barre d’échelle : 20 mm. (<bold>B</bold>) K12–3. Vues latérales droite et gauche, barre d’échelle : 20 mm. Abréviations : Ch, cératohyal; Dpt, dermoptérotique; Dsp, dermosphénotique; ExScl, extrascapulaire latéral; ExScm, extrascapulaire médian; Fr, frontal; Io, infraorbitaire; Iop, interopercule; lj, mandibule; Op, opercule; Pa, pariétal; Pop, préopercule; Pt, posttemporal; So, supraorbitaire; Sob, suborbitaire, Sop; suboperculum.</p>
         </caption>
         <graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="main.assets/fx1.jpg"/>
      </fig>
      <fig id="FIG2">
         <label>Fig. 2</label>
         <caption>
            <p>
               <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic>. Camera-lucida drawings of the snout region of K12–6, scale bar: 10 mm. (<bold>A</bold>) ventral view. (<bold>B</bold>) dorsal view. Abbreviations: Ao, antorbital; aososc, anterior opening of the supraorbital sensory canal; Fr, frontal; Na, nasal; nappmx, nasal process of the premaxillary; Pmx, premaxilla; tb, tooth base; Vo, vomer; I, opening for the olfactory nerve.</p>
            <p>Fig. 2. <italic>Lepidotes buddhabutrensis</italic>. Dessins à la chambre claire de la région éthmoïdienne de K12–6, barre d’échelle: 10 mm. (<bold>A</bold>) vue ventrale. (<bold>B</bold>) vue dorsale. Abréviations : Ao, antorbitaire; aososc, ouverture antérieure du canal sensoriel supraorbitaire ; Fr, frontal ; Na, nasal ; nappmx, processus nasal du prémaxillaire ; Pmx, prémaxillaire ; tb, base des dents ; Vo, vomer ; I, ouverture pour le nerf olfactif.</p>
         </caption>
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      </fig>
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</article>