Phylogenetic relationships of †Luisiella feruglioi (Bordas) and the recognition of a new clade of freshwater teleosts from the Jurassic of Gondwana.

Background: Teleosts constitute more than 99 % of living actinopterygian fishes and fossil teleosts have been studied for about two centuries. However, a general consensus on the definition of Teleostei and the relationships among the major teleostean clades has not been achieved. Our current ideas on the origin and early diversification of teleosts are mainly based on well-known Mesozoic marine taxa, whereas the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of many Jurassic continental teleosts are still poorly understood despite their importance to shed light on the early evolutionary history of this group.

Postcranial osteogenesis of the helmeted water toad Calyptocephalella gayi (Neobatrachia: Calyptocephalellidae) with comments on the osteology of australobatrachians.

Calyptocephalella gayi is one of over 6,000 neobatrachians arranged into two main groups, Hyloides and Ranoides. Phylogenetically, C. gayi is placed in Australobatrachia, a Gondwanan clade that is either the most basal clade of Hyloides or the sister group of Hyloidea, depending on the cladistic hypothesis; as such, this species is a key taxon in the study of the early evolution of Neobatrachia.