| Clupavus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| (unranked): | Otophysi |
| Family: | † Clupavidae |
| Genus: | † Clupavus Arambourg, 1950 |
| Type species | |
| †Clupavus maroccanus Arambourg, 1968 | |
| Species | |
Clupavus is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish that lived during the middle of the Cretaceous period. [3] It is known from North Africa, Europe, Brazil, and possibly North America.
It contains the following species:
Fossils of an indeterminate Clupavus species are abundant in the Albian-aged Pietraroja Plattenkalk of Italy, and the Cenomanian-aged Komen Limestone of Slovenia. [7] [8] A few specimens of a potential indeterminate species are also known from the Albian-aged Mowry Shale of Wyoming, USA. [9] [10]
The genus was initially described in 1950 with the species C. neocomiensis(Bassani, 1879) as its type species, based on a specimen from Morocco classified C. cf. neocomiensis. In 1968, the original C. neocomiensis was found to be synonymous with Leptolepis brodiei, so Clupavus was redefined with the newly-described C. maroccanus as the type species. [11] [12] The classification of C. brasiliensis in this genus has been questioned, as it differs from C. maroccanus in the morphology of the caudal skeleton. [13] [14] The species Casieroides yamangaensis and Chardonius longicaudatus from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were initially classified in this genus, but are now known to be unrelated. [4]
Initially described as a member of the Clupeiformes, [12] later studies have found the presence of a Weberian apparatus in members of this genus, indicating them to be basal otophysans. [4] [15] Relatives of Clupavus include Lusitanichthys and possibly Jhingrania . [16] [17]
Clupavus is one of the most common fossil fishes in the formations where it occurs in Europe. [5] [7] [8] They are especially common in the Hesseltal Formation of Germany, from around the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. These German fossils indicate that Clupavus was a widespread, sardine-like shoaling fish, closely associated with cool waters from upwelling, that served as the base of the food chain in marine ecosystems of the Tethys Sea and pre-North Sea. Remains of Clupavus have been found as the fossilized stomach contents of medium-sized predatory fishes such as Bananogmius ornatus and possibly Protostomias maroccanus . [5]
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