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Nunikuluk gracilis

Actinopteri - Esociformes - Esocidae

Taxonomy
Nunikuluk gracilis was named by Brinkman et al. (2025). Its type specimen is UAMES 42715, a mandible, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Jacob’s Bed, Colville River, which is in a Campanian coarse channel fill sandstone in the Prince Creek Formation of Alaska. It is the type species of Nunikuluk.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2025Nunikuluk gracilis Brinkman et al. p. 15 fig. 14

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
superclassActinopterygii()
classActinopteri()
subclassNeopterygii(Regan 1923)
RankNameAuthor
—Teleosteomorpha
—Teleostei(Müller 1846)
—Teleocephalade Pinna 1996
—ClupeocephalaPatterson and Rosen 1977
—Euteleosteomorpha
superorderProtacanthopterygii
orderEsociformes
familyEsocidae(Cuvier 1817)
genusNunikuluk
speciesgracilis

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Nunikuluk gracilis Brinkman et al. 2025
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. B. Brinkman et al. 2025A member of Esocidae, based on the presence of C-shaped tooth bases on the dentary. Differs from other members of the family by the following combination of features: dentaries laterally compressed, triangular in shape in lateral view, a single row of large teeth present, mandibular trigeminal canal located relatively far forward along the tooth row, a low ridge separates the sub-dental surface from the lower half of the jaw, and a shallow depression is present on internal surface of the dentary below the sub-dental shelf.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: freshwaterf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Created: 2017-04-17 10:34:00
Modified: 2017-04-17 10:34:00
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Bush and Bambach 2015, Carroll 1988

Age range: Late/Upper Campanian or 83.60000 to 72.20000 Ma

Collections (4 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Campanian83.6 - 72.2Canada (Alberta) Nunikuluk gracilis (34307 146196)
Late/Upper Campanian83.6 - 72.2USA (Alaska) Nunikuluk gracilis (231243 type locality: 231244)