New perleidiforms from the Triassic of the Southern Alps and the revision of Serrolepis from the Triassic of Würtemberg (Germany)

A new actinopterygian genus, Felberia gen. nov., is described on the basis of a few, well-preserved specimens from the Ladinian Kalkschieferzone of Meride (Canton Ticino, Switzerland), and of some fragmentary remains from the Carnian localities of Oltre il Colle (BG) and Raibl-Cave del Predil (UD). The new genus, belonging to Perleidiformes, is characterized by a deep body covered with narrow and high, strongly ornamented, but thin scales. The head is deep as well. It shows a preoperculum with equal-sized dorsal and ventral regions, an operculum larger than the suboperculum, and a small gape with teeth that are long, pencil-like and protruding on the oral margin, and stout and acuminate on the palatal bones. The fins are long and delicate. Dorsal and anal fins are located close to the tail, which is characterized by seven epaxial rays and a ventral lobe slightly larger than the dorsal. The morphology of the new genus, with its deep, laterally compressed body and its peculiar dentition, suggests a specialized feeding habit, such as preying on small crustaceans on a rough bottom: the prey could have been seized with the marginal protruding teeth and then crushed by the strong palatal ones. The systematic position of the genus Serrolepis Quenstedt from the Lettenkohle of Württemberg, is also discussed, based on comparisons of part of the original material with these new well-preserved specimens. Due to the morphology of both scales and palatal teeth, Serrolepis is moved from the order Semionotiformes to the order Perleidiformes.