Avonacanthus

Avonacanthus; Temporal range: lower Carboniferous PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	† Ctenacanthiformes
Family:	† Heslerodidae
Genus:	† Avonacanthus ; Maisley, 2010

Last updated November 24, 2025

Avonacanthus is an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish from the lower Carboniferous. The name is derived from the type locality of Avon Gorge, near Bristol, England. It contains a single species, Avonacanthus brevis, which was originally regarded as a species of Ctenacanthus .^[1] It is currently known only from fin spines. It is probably a cladistically basal Heslerodid.^[2]

References

↑ AGASSIZ, L. (1836) Recherches sur les poissons fossiles, 7th livraison (June–July 1836). Petitpierre et Prince (text) and H. Nicolet (plates), Neuchâtel, vol. 3: pl. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 41, 42, 43, 44.
↑ Maisey, J. G. (2010). Heslerodidae (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii), a new family of Paleozoic phalacanthous sharks. Kirtlandia, 57, 13-21.

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[1] AGASSIZ, L. (1836) Recherches sur les poissons fossiles, 7th livraison (June–July 1836). Petitpierre et Prince (text) and H. Nicolet (plates), Neuchâtel, vol. 3: pl. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 41, 42, 43, 44.

[2] Maisey, J. G. (2010). Heslerodidae (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii), a new family of Paleozoic phalacanthous sharks. Kirtlandia, 57, 13-21.

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