Aspidorhynchidae Temporal range: Paleocene occurrence Possible | |
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Aspidorhynchus sanzenbacheri | |
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Belonostomus kochii | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Division: | † Aspidorhynchei |
Order: | † Aspidorhynchiformes Bleeker, 1859 |
Family: | † Aspidorhynchidae Bleeker, 1859 |
Type genus | |
† Aspidorhynchus Agassiz, 1833 | |
Genera | |
See text |
Aspidorhynchidae (from Neo-Latin "shield-snouts") is an extinct family of ray-finned fish from the Mesozoic Era. It is the only member of the monotypic order Aspidorhynchiformes. Members of the group are noted for their elongated, conical rostrums, of varying length, formed from fused premaxillae. The range of the group extends from the Middle Jurassic to the end of the Maastrichtian, with a potential record from the Late Paleocene. The family and order were described by Pieter Bleeker in 1859.
Aspidorhynchiformes have generally been recovered as basal members of Teleosteomorpha, more closely related to teleosts than to Holostei. They have often considered to have a sister group relationship with Pachycormiformes, another group of basal teleosteomorphs. [1] However, other studies instead suggest that they successively diverged after one another, with the aspidorhynchids actually being closer to the teleosts than the pachycormids. [2]
Aspidorhynchiformes has one family, which is divided into at least two genera: [3] [4] [5] : 57
Fossils range have been found in the United States, France, Italy, Russia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Uzbekistan. These fossils range from 167.7mya ( Aspidorhynchus ) to 66 mya ( Belonostomus longirostris ).
The earliest known remains of the group are known from the Middle Jurassic of Europe, in what was then the western Tethys Ocean, which was likely the centre of their initial diversification; during the Late Jurassic they dispersed to the waters around the Caribbean, South America and Antarctica. [6] During the Cretaceous they dispersed worldwide. [7] Some members, like Belonostomus , attained a global distribution in both marine and freshwater habitats; others, like Vinctifer , were restricted to the seas around Gondwana, while others like the giant Richmondichthys were restricted to small geographic regions such as the Eromanga Sea. [8]
The youngest members of the group, belonging to Belonostomus, went extinct at the end of the Maastrichtian during the K-Pg extinction. A specimen from the Late Paleocene of North Dakota suggests they may have persisted into the early Cenozoic, although this may have just been reworked from earlier formations. [9] [10] [11]
The most distinctive feature of the Aspidorhynchiformes are the elongated, tube-like rostrums, which are formed from fused premaxillary bones. [6] The scales are lepidosteoid, similar to those of gars. [12]
Most aspidorhynchids were predatory fish, which is best exemplified by fossils of Aspidorhynchus from Germany that have been found entangled with those of the pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus , which they appear to have attacked and died with. However, aspidorhynchids primarily fed on small fish and other vertebrates, with these attacks on pterosaurs appearing to be fatal mistakes. [13] In contrast to other aspidorhynchids, the largest member of the family, the giant Richmondichthys from Australia, evolved clear adaptations for a planktivorous, filter-feeding lifestyle. [14]
Actinopterygii, members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class of bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built fins made of webbings of skin supported by radially extended thin bony spines called lepidotrichia, as opposed to the bulkier, fleshy lobed fins of the sister class Sarcopterygii. Resembling folding fans, the actinopterygian fins can easily change shape and wetted area, providing superior thrust-to-weight ratios per movement compared to sarcopterygian and chondrichthyian fins. The fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the articulation between these fins and the internal skeleton.
The Amiiformes order of fish has only two extant species, the bowfins: Amia calva and Amia ocellicauda, the latter recognized as a separate species in 2022. These Amiiformes are found in the freshwater systems of North America, in the United States and parts of southern Canada. They live in freshwater streams, rivers, and swamps. The order first appeared in the Triassic, and the extinct members include both marine and freshwater species, many of which are morphologically disparate from bowfins, such as the caturids.
Rhamphorhynchus is a genus of long-tailed pterosaurs in the Jurassic period. Less specialized than contemporary, short-tailed pterodactyloid pterosaurs such as Pterodactylus, it had a long tail, stiffened with ligaments, which ended in a characteristic soft-tissue tail vane. The mouth of Rhamphorhynchus housed needle-like teeth, which were angled forward, with a curved, sharp, beak-like tip lacking teeth, indicating a diet mainly of fish; indeed, fish and cephalopod remains are frequently found in Rhamphorhynchus abdominal contents, as well as in their coprolites.
Aspidorhynchus is an extinct genus of predatory ray-finned fish from the Middle Jurassic to the earliest Cretaceous. Fossils have been found in Europe, Antarctica and the Caribbean.
Albulidae is a family of fish, commonly known as the bonefishes, that are popular as game fish in Florida, select locations in the South Pacific and the Bahamas and elsewhere. The family is small, with 11 species in 3 genera. Presently, the bonefishes are in their own order: Albuliformes. The families Halosauridae and Notacanthidae were previously classified in this order, but are now, according to FishBase, given their own order Notacanthiformes. The largest bonefish caught in the Western Hemisphere is a 16-pound, 3 ounce example caught off Islamorada, Florida, on March 19, 2007.
Belonostomus is a genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that was described by Louis Agassiz in 1844. It is a member of the order Aspidorhynchiformes, a group of fish known for their distinctive elongated rostrums.
Pachycormiformes is an extinct order of marine ray-finned fish known from the Early Jurassic to the end of the Cretaceous. It only includes a single family, Pachycormidae. They were characterized by having serrated pectoral fins, reduced pelvic fins and a bony rostrum. Pachycormiformes are morphologically diverse, containing both tuna and swordfish-like carnivorous forms, as well as edentulous suspension-feeding forms.
The Toolebuc Formation is a geological formation that extends from Queensland across South Australia and the Northern Territory in Australia, whose strata date back to the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, protostegid turtles, sharks, chimaeroids and bony fish remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
The Allaru Formation, also known as the Allaru Mudstone, is a geological formation in Queensland, Australia, whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
Cladocyclus is an extinct genus of marine ichthyodectiform fish from the middle Cretaceous. It was a predatory fish of about 1.20 metres (3.9 ft) in length.
Vinctifer is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish erected by David Starr Jordan in 1919.
Araripichthys is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish that lived from the Aptian to Coniacian stages of the Cretaceous period. The genus is named after the Araripe Basin, where it was found in the Crato and Santana Formations. Other fossils of the genus have been found at Goulmima in Morocco, the Tlayua Formation of Mexico and the Apón Formation of Venezuela.
Anaethalion is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine and freshwater ray-finned fish related to modern tarpons and ladyfish. It is known from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous of Europe and northeasterrn Asia, roughly encompassing the Tethys Ocean.
Bullichthys is an extinct genus of marine albuliform fish which existed in the Romualdo Formation, Brazil during the Early Cretaceous (Albian) period. The type species is B. santanensis. The genus name references its inflated otic bulla.
Crossognathiformes is an extinct order of ray-finned fish that lived from the Late Jurassic to the Eocene. Its phylogenetic placement is disputed; some authors have recovered it as part of the teleost stem group, while others place it in a basal position within crown group Teleostei.
Pycnodontidae is an extinct family of ray-finned fishes, ranging from the Jurassic period until the Eocene. It was the largest and most derived family of the successful Mesozoic fish order Pycnodontiformes, and the only member of it to survive into the Cenozoic.
This list of fossil fishes described in 2019 is a list of new taxa of jawless vertebrates, placoderms, acanthodians, fossil cartilaginous fishes, bony fishes, and other fishes of every kind that were described during the year 2019, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleoichthyology that occurred in 2019.
Jonoichthys is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish from the Upper Jurassic of Argentina. The type and only known species is Jonoichthys challwa. The fossil remains of J. challwa were recovered from the Vaca Muerta Formation, in Neuquén province, Argentina. It belongs to the family Aspidorhynchidae, within Aspidorhynchiformes.
Pleuropholidae is an extinct family of stem-teleost fish that lived from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. It is one of several families that were historically placed in the paraphyletic order Pholidophoriformes. Pleuropholids can be distinguished from other "pholidophoriforms" by the elongated scales on the sides of their bodies.
Richmondichthys is an extinct genus of large prehistoric marine ray-finned fish known from the Early Cretaceous. It contains a single species, R. sweeti from the late Albian-aged Allaru and Toolebuc Formations of Queensland, Australia.