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Qikiqtania Temporal range: Late Devonian (Frasnian stage), 375 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Various fossil material of the holotype
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Sarcopterygii
Clade:	Tetrapodomorpha
Clade:	Eotetrapodiformes
Clade:	Elpistostegalia
Genus:	†Qikiqtania Stewart et al., 2022
Species:	†Q. wakei
Binomial name
†Qikiqtania wakei Stewart et al., 2022

Qikiqtania (pronounced "kick-kiq-tani-ahh") is an extinct genus of elpistostegalian tetrapodomorph from the Late Devonian (early Frasnian stage) Fram Formation of Nunavut, Canada. The genus contains a single species, Q. wakei, known from a partial skeleton. Analysis of the fin bones suggests that Qikiqtania was well-suited to swimming, and likely incapable of walking or supporting itself out of the water, as has been suggested for the closely related Tiktaalik.

Discovery and naming

The holotype specimen of Qikiqtania, NUFV 137, was discovered in 2004 in layers of the late Devonian (Frasnian)-dated Fram Formation of southern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. The holotype specimen consists of lower jaws, partial left upper jaw and palate, gulars, ceratohyals, an articulated left pectoral fin and various articulated scales. The fossil remains of Qikiqtania were discovered 1.5 km (0.93 mi) east of the site where Tiktaalik was discovered, but from a slightly lower horizon in the formation.

In 2022, Thomas A. Stewart, Justin B. Lemberg, Ailis Daly, Edward B. Daeschler, and Neil H. Shubin named and described Qikiqtania wakei based on these remains. The generic name, "Qikiqtania," is derived from the Inuktitut words "Qikiqtaaluk" and "Qikiqtani", which represent the traditional names for the fossil site. The specific name, "wakei," honors the evolutionary biologist David Wake.

Description

Qikiqtania had strong jaws that would have allowed it to securely bite and hold prey. It had a row of teeth and fangs inside its mouth, and it would have drawn food into its mouth using suction.

CT scans of the rock containing the fin revealed a complete limb inside. These scans allowed the describing authors to better understand and interpret the fossil material. The fin bones of Qikiqtania were not sturdy enough to support its body on land, so it would have lived entirely in the water. Its humerus does not show any indication of the well-developed muscle-attachment points seen in related semi-subaerial taxa. This is in contrast to Tiktaalik, which would have been able to prop itself up in shallow water or on land and use its limbs for support.

The preserved scales are rhomboid in shape, generally similar to those of other finned elpistostegalians. Preserved scales have been found from the trunk, including the dorsal midline and flank, the pectoral fin, and the lateral line series. Analysis of the scales revealed sensory canals that would have permitted the animal to detect the flow of water around its body.

• CT scans of the lower jaw
• Pectoral fin
• Various preserved scales

The holotype individual would have had a total body length of around 75 cm (30 in), which is smaller than most elpistostegalians.

Classification

Qikiqtania represents an elpistostegalian closely related to limbed tetrapods. In all phylogenetic analyses, it was recovered as crownward to Panderichthys. The cladogram below displays the results of the phylogenetic analyses by Stewart et al. (2022):

	Eusthenopteron Panderichthys Qikiqtania Tiktaalik Elpistostege Acanthostega Ichthyostega

References

1. ^ Stewart, Thomas A.; Lemberg, Justin B.; Daly, Ailis; Daeschler, Edward B.; Shubin, Neil H. (2022-07-20). "A new elpistostegalian from the Late Devonian of the Canadian Arctic". Nature. 608 (7923): 563–568. Bibcode:2022Natur.608..563S. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04990-w. ISSN 0028-0836. PMC 9385497. PMID 35859171. S2CID 250730904.
2. ^ Daeschler, Edward B.; Shubin, Neil H.; Jenkins, Farish A. (2006-04-06). "A Devonian tetrapod-like fish and the evolution of the tetrapod body plan". Nature. 440 (7085): 757–763. Bibcode:2006Natur.440..757D. doi:10.1038/nature04639. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 16598249. S2CID 4413217.
3. Stewart, Thomas. "Meet Qikiqtania, a fossil fish with the good sense to stay in the water while others ventured onto land". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-07-20.

v t e Tetrapodomorpha (Pan-Tetrapoda)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Osteichthyes Clade: Sarcopterygii Clade: Rhipidistia Gnathostomata see Gnathostomata Tetrapodomorpha see below↓
Tetrapodomorpha Tetrapodomorpha †Bogdanovia †Chrysolepis †Geptolepis †Glyptopomus †Gogonasus †Greiserolepis †Gyroptychius †Harajicadectes †Kenichthys †Litoptychus †Lamprotolepis †Latvius †Medoevia †Megadonichthys †Muranjilepis †Osteolepis †Peregrina †Platyethmoidia †Shirolepis †Thaumatolepis †Thursius †Tungsenia †Viluichthys †Rhizodontida Archichthys Aztecia Barameda Gooloogongia Hongyu Letognathus Propycnoctenion Pycnoctenion Rhizodus Rossichthys Sauripterus Screbinodus Strepsodus Thysanolepis? Vorobjevaia? †Canowindridae Beelarongia Canowindra Koharalepis Marsdenichthys? Owensia? †Megalichthyidae Askerichthys Cladarosymblema Cryptolepis? Ectosteorhachis Lohsania? Mahalalepis Megalichthys Megapomus? Megistolepis? Palatinichthys Rhizodopsis Sengoerichthys Sterropterygion? Eotetrapodiformes †Palaeospondylus? †Tristichopteridae Bruehnopteron Cabonnichthys Callistipterus Canningius Devonosteus Edenopteron Eusthenodon Eusthenopteron Heddleichthys Hyneria Jarvikina Langlieria Litoptychus? Mandageria Marsdenichthys? Notorhizodon Platycephalichthys Spodichthys Tinirau Tristichopterus Elpistostegalia †Howittichthys? †Livoniana †Panderichthys †Parapanderichthys †Qikiqtania †Rubrognathus †Tiktaalik Stegocephali (Tetrapoda sensu lato) see below↓
Stegocephali (Tetrapoda sensu lato) Devonian taxa †Acanthostega †Brittagnathus †Densignathus †Elpistostege? †Hynerpeton †Ichthyostega †Jakubsonia †Metaxygnathus †Parmastega †Sinostega †Tiktaalik? †Tulerpeton †Tutusius †Umzantsia †Ventastega †Ymeria †Elginerpetontidae Elginerpeton Obruchevichthys Webererpeton Post-Devonian taxa †Antlerpeton †Aytonerpeton †Crassigyrinus †Diploradus †Doragnathus †Gaiasia †Ichthyerpeton †Koilops †Mesanerpeton †Occidens †Ossirarus †Perittodus †Sigournea †Tantallognathus †Aistopoda Andersonerpeton Lethiscus Ophiderpeton Oestocephalidae Coloraderpeton Oestocephalus Phlegethontioidea Pseudophlegethontia Phlegethontiidae Phlegethontia Sillerpeton †Whatcheeriidae Ossinodus? Pederpes Whatcheeria †Colosteidae Colosteus Deltaherpeton Greererpeton Pholidogaster †Adelospondyli Acherontiscus Adelogyrinidae Adelogyrinus Adelospondylus Dolichopareias Palaeomolgophis †"Nectridea" see Nectridea †Baphetoidea Eucritta? Spathicephalus Baphetidae Baphetes Kyrinion Loxomma Megalocephalus †Embolomeri Anthracosaurus Archeria Aversor Calligenethlon Carbonoherpeton "Cricotus" Diplovertebron Eobaphetes Eoherpeton? Leptophractus Neopteroplax Palaeoherpeton Papposaurus Pholiderpeton Proterogyrinus Pteroplax Seroherpeton Spondylerpeton †Gephyrostegidae Bruktererpeton Eusauropleura Gephyrostegus †Other "anthracosaurs" Caerorhachis Casineria? Eldeceeon Eoherpeton Silvanerpeton Termonerpeton Crown group Tetrapoda Temnospondyli (Batrachomorpha see Temnospondyli includes Lissamphibia Reptiliomorpha (Pan-Amniota) see Reptiliomorpha includes Amniota
Related topics Paraphyletic / Polyphyletic groups Stem tetrapoda Osteolepiformes Osteolepididae Megalichthyiformes? Tristichopteridae? Labyrinthodontia Rachitomi Ichthyostegalia Lepospondyli Holospondyli Phyllospondyli Anthracosauria Other topics Evolution of tetrapods Polydactyly in stem-tetrapods Romer's gap Timeline Zachelmie trackways
Category

• Elpistostegalians
• Prehistoric lobe-finned fish genera
• Late Devonian sarcopterygians
• Devonian sarcopterygians of North America
• Fossil taxa described in 2022
• Paleozoic life of Nunavut
• Taxa named by Neil Shubin
• Taxa named by Ted Daeschler