Second specimen of the lower actinopterygian Novogonatodus kasantsevae long 1988 from the Early Carboniferous of Mansfield, Victoria

A new specimen of the Early Carboniferous actinopterygian Novogonatodus kasantsevae Long 1988 from the Snowy Plains Formation, Mansfield Basin, Victoria is described. Previously undescribed elements of the skull, both dorsal and anterior to the orbit, as well as dorsal ridge scales, are shown for the first time. Novogonatodus kasantsevae shows many plesiomorphic characters, including an elongated T-shaped dermosphenotic, contact between the nasals and dermosphenotics, a small quadratojugal and three extrascapular bones. Apomorphies present include small postparietals and lack of intertemporals and supratemporals. The previous assignment to the Family Gonatodidae Gardiner 1967 is no longer supported as most of the characters defining the family are widespread features developed within several lineages of basal actinopterygians. Hence, Novogonatodus kasantsevae is regarded as a plesiomorphic actinopterygian more derived in the scheme of Cloutier and Arratia (2004a) than the clade containing Melanecta, Limnomis and Howqualepis (and possibly Mansfieldisous) but less derived than the Aesopichthyidae, Rhadinichthyidae and other crownward Actinopterygii.