Cyprinodon brontotheroides belongs to the genus Cyprinodon, a name which combines Cyprinus, which means "carp" or "minnow", with "odon, meaning "tooth", in other words a carp- or cyprinid-like fish but with teeth, i.e. a toothcarp. The specific name, brontotheroides, suffixed -oides onto the name of the extinct family of Perissodactyla, the brontotheres. This is an allusion to the similarity of the protruding nasal region of this fish to the “bizarre” horn-like skull appendages of brontotheres.[5]
Description
Cyprinodon brontotheroides is durophagous. It has a large in-lever to out-lever ratio for closing its lower jaw with force and a protruding, reinforced nasal region probably used for crushing its specialized diet of ostracods and gastropods.[6] They breed in the spring and the breeding territories are guarded by the males.[7]
Cyprinodon brontotheroides coexists alongside two other closely related Cyprinodon species C. desquamator and C. variegatus. Together, these three species represent a recent adaptive radiation, each having moved into a difference niche within their specialized environment. Each of these species are defined by distinct trophic adaptations that have affected various aspects of functional morphology.[8]
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