Davis — On the Fossil Fish of the Cretaceous Formations of Scandinavia. 397 



Oxyrhina conica, Davis, sp. nov. 

 (PI. XL., figs. 8-10.) 



Teeth small ; anterior teeth long, tapering to a sharp point, with a more or 

 less sigmoidal curvature ; posterior teeth broader at the base, shorter, and with a 

 scarcely perceptible curvature. Height of anterior tooth 0-008 m. ; breadth of 

 base 0-003 m. ; outer coronal surface flat on the lower, slightly convex on the 

 upper, part, with minute ridges at the base, which disappear higher, leaving an 

 even and smooth surface ; inner coronal surface convex, with similar ridges near 

 the base to those on the outer face; margin of base curved upwards in centre. 

 Root extended beyond the base of the crown laterally, and on the inner surface ; 

 postero-inferior surface flattened, or slightly concave. No evidence of lateral 

 denticles. The root in several examples is well-preserved ; in the majority, 

 however, it is broken away, and only the outer shell of the tooth is preserved. 



Two specimens somewhat larger, but possessing the characters of this series, 

 have been found at Kdpinge. 



The entire absence of lateral denticles on the teeth which are sufficiently well 

 preserved to afford evidence leads to the inference that the whole of the teeth 

 have probably been devoid of them. They are similar in form to a number of 

 teeth found in the Pondicherry Beds of India, and described by Sir Philip Egerton 

 in the " Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society," vol. i., p. 171. They were 

 imperfectly preserved, and were referred to the genus Odontaspis, with the specific 

 appellation, 0. constrictus. Although it is devoid of lateral denticles, Egerton con- 

 siders that more perfect specimens might possess them ; and he indicated a probable 

 relationship to Lamna ( Odontaspis) subulata, Agassiz, from the Lower Greensand of 

 Neufchatel (" Poiss. Foss.," vol. iii., p. 296, pi. xxxvii. a, fig. 5). The latter has 

 well-developed lateral denticles, and a deeply-forked root. The Pondicherry 

 teeth have a similarly flat inferior surface to one of the specimens now 

 described, so far as can be ascertained from the imperfect specimens. Later, 

 A. Smith Woodward has transferred Odontaspis subulata, Ag., to the genus 

 Scapauorhynchus ("■ Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum," pt. i., 

 p. 356), and has included 0. constrictus, Eg., as a synonym of the same species. 



The Oretorp specimens are clearly distinct from 0. subulata, Ag., and the 

 absence of lateral cusps removes them from the genus Scapauorhynchus, and 

 indicates their relationship with Oxyrhina; it is therefore proposed to place 

 them in that genus. 



Formation and Locality. — Senonian : Oretorp, Kopinge (?). 



Ex coll. — Riksmuseum, Stockholm. 



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