The tail of the Jurassic fish Leedsichthys problematicus (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii) collected by Alfred Nicholson Leeds - an example of the importance of historical records in palaeontology

摘要: The specimen of the tail Leedsichthys problematicus, now in Natural History Museum, London, was one most spectacular fossil vertebrates from Oxford Clay Formation Peterborough, but as an isolated find it shares no bones common with holotype genus and species. However, a letter Alfred Nicholson Leeds related documents cast valuable new light on excavation tail, indicating that discovered cranial bones, gill-rakers, two pectoral fins, thereby including elements can potentially be compared those holotype. also clearly indicate Museum's is not part same individual any other numbered had been speculated occasions. maximum size animal represented by possibly around 9 metres, considerably less than previous estimates up to 27.6 metres for Leedsichthys. Historical documentary ev...