Frippia labroiformis n. gen. n. sp., a new perciform fish from the Eocene of Pesciara di Bolca, Italy

A new genus and species of percoid fish, Frippia labroiformis n. gen. n. sp. from the Eocene of Pesciara di Bolca, northern Italy, is described based on three well-preserved specimens characterized by a moderately elongate body and a short and deep caudal peduncle. Frippia n. gen. exhibits a unique combination of features, including the following: weak pharyngeal apophysis of the parasphenoid; orbit with sclerotic ossifications; jaws with single series of strong conical teeth; slightly curved preopercle with smooth posterior margin; opercle devoid of spines; six branchiostegal rays; blunt and conical lower pharyngeal teeth; 26 (10+16) vertebrae; caudal skeleton with urostylar complex fused to uroneural and third and fourth hypurals, first and second hypurals fused, fifth hypural and parhypural autogenous, three epurals, autogenous haemal spines of second and third preural vertebrae, and low neural crest on second preural vertebra; caudal fin rounded with 17 principal rays and six to seven upper and five to six lower procurrent rays; predorsal formula 0/0/0+2/1+1/; continuous dorsal fin with nine spines and 14 soft rays; anal fin with three strong spines and 10 rays; pectoral fin with 15 rays; pelvic fin with one spine and five long rays, the longest reaching posteriorly to anal-fin origin; scales relatively large, thin and finely ctenoid on trunk and cycloid on head. Because of its unique combination of features Frippia n. gen. cannot be confidently assigned to any of the existing extant or fossil percoid families and it is therefore interpreted herein as incertae sedis within the Percoidei.