Spathiurus dorsalis Davis, 1887, from the Upper Cretaceous of Haqel, Lebanon, and the evolutionary history of Ionoscopiformes

New and well-preserved fossil fish material from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Haqel, Lebanon, is assigned to Spathiurus dorsalis Davis, 1887. Spathiurus dorsalis and Amphilaphurus major are found to be synonymous. A complete re-description of this taxon is provided and delivers new recognized anatomical information, mainly cranial features. Spathiurus dorsalis displays diagnostic characters of ionoscopids and consequently is designated as a new member of this family. A phylogenetic analysis was performed to place this taxon within the Halecomorphi. The studied taxon was recovered as the sister genera of Ionoscopus petrarojae, both derived compared to 'Ionoscopus' cyprinoides, suggesting that the latter should be placed in a distinct genus. The validated placement of Spathiurus within the Ionoscopidae extends the stratigraphic range of this family from the Albian to the Cenomanian and becomes the first record of an ionoscopiform from the Upper Cretaceous and from the Middle East.