Metaceratodus

Metaceratodus is an extinct genus of prehistoric lungfish in the family Ceratodontidae, with an indeterminate specimen known from the Late Triassic -aged Lissauer Breccia of Poland and more complete specimens known from the Late Cretaceous of Queensland, Australia and Argentina. The genus was named and described by Frederick Chapman in 1914.

Species

The seven identified species of Metaceratodus are listed below, while an eighth unnamed species is known from Poland:

cf. Metaceratodus sp.
Metaceratodus baibianorum
Metaceratodus bonei
Metaceratodus ellioti
Metaceratodus kaopen
Metaceratodus palmeri
Metaceratodus wichmanni
''Metaceratodus wollastoni''
Palaeobiology

Palaeopathology

Of 127 analysed specimens of M. ''baibianorum'' from the La [Colonia Formation] of Patagonia, 27.5% showed signs of some form of dental pathology such as caries, abscess, hyperplasia, fracture, erosion, and alteration in growth, though none showed signs of attrition, osteopenia, parasitic invasions. Some specimens exhibiting caries on the occlusal surface also show signs of reparative dentine growth, indicating that dipnoans could produce tertiary dentine in response to injuries to the tooth.