Archaephippus Temporal range: | |
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Specimen of A. asper | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Acanthuriformes |
Family: | Ephippidae |
Genus: | † Archaephippus Blot, 1969 |
Species: | †A. asper |
Binomial name | |
†Archaephippus asper (Volta, 1796) | |
Synonyms | |
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Archaephippus ("ancient Ephippus ") is an extinct genus of prehistoric spadefish that lived from the early Eocene. [1] It contains a single species, A. asper, known from Italy. [2] Several exquisitely preserved fossils have been found from the Monte Bolca lagerstatten. [3] Some juvenile specimens preserve the vertical striped coloration that they would have likely had in life. [4]
It was originally described as Chaetodon asper Volta, 1796, which was given the new name Ephippus oblongus by Agassiz (1835). [5] When it was placed in its own genus, the original specific epithet was revived.