The Chondrostei and Holostei 



325 



istic types of the bituminous schists of Raibl and Giffoni, 

 which we have already shown to be freshwater (p. 174). 

 The two species described by Woodward from the Upper 

 Triassic beds of Gosford N. S. W. are also accepted as 

 freshwater by him, since the associated amphibia, plants 

 and other fishes all fortify this view. Equally true is it 

 for species from the Lias. The scattered fragments of 

 SauricJithys tell a like tale. 



The discovery of Elipsopliolis however in Hawkesbury 

 beds caused Woodward to write : "The new genus is indeed 

 a palaeoniscid fish, but it differs from all known members 

 of its family in exhibiting a row of thick scutes along the 

 course of the lateral line. In the latter feature, and in the 

 nature of its fin rays Elipsopliolis agrees with the Belono- 

 rhynchidae, and may doubtless be regarded as one of the 

 predicted links between the two families." 



"As the fish is almost destitute of scales, its internal 

 skeleton is well displayed, and is proved to resemble, in all 

 essential respects, the palaeoniscid skeleton." 



The Lower Liassic genus Chondrosteus (Fig. 52), and 

 the Upper Liassic Gyrosteus, each including one species, are 

 related to modern sturgeons (Fig. 51) (256:24). But 



Fig. 51 



Fig. 51. Skeleton of Existing Sturgeon (Acipenser). 



Fig. 52. Restored skeleton of Lower Liassic Sturgeon {Chond- 

 rosteus acipenseroides) . Both greatly reduced . (After A. S. 

 Woodward). 



