Late Cretaceous Belonostomus (Pisces, Actinopterygii, Aspidorhynchidae) from Algarrobo, Chile, with comments on aspidorhynchid paleodistribution in South America

Abstract

Aspidorhynchid remains are described from the Upper Cretaceous Quiriquina Formation of Chile. Although only fragments have been recovered, their characteristics allow to identify them as Belonostomus longirostris Lambe. This is the first record of this genus confirmed in Chile. B. longirostris Lambe had a South American/Pacific marginal pattern of distribution, showing more affinities with the North American fauna than to the South American Atlantic one.