New data on the coelacanth fish-fauna (Mawsoniidae) from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of Araripe Basin, Brazil

Araripe Basin has a large wealth fossil localities represented by diversity and abundance of animals and plants with excellent preservation state. Among these animals, the fishes that are represented by 30 known species stand out, including the Coelacanthiforme. This group of fishes is one of the rarest in the fossil record and three species were identified to the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Araripe Basin so far: Mawsonia gigas Woodward 1907 in Brejo Santo and Romualdo formations; Mawsonia brasiliensis Yabumoto 2002 in the Romualdo Formation and; Axelrodichthys araripensis Maisey 1986 in the Crato and Romualdo formations. This paper encompasses the Mawsoniidae studies, including all the species, distributed in Brejo Santo (Tithonian), Crato (Aptian) and Romualdo (Albian) formations, with a new record of Mawsoniidae to Barbalha (Aptian) Formation. •New record of Mawsoniidae to Barbalha Formation.•Expansion of temporal distribution of Mawsoniidae in Mesozoic.•The third specimen of Mawsonia brasiliensis described in literature.