Dercetidae Temporal range: Early Eocene record Possible | |
---|---|
Specimen of Dercetis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Aulopiformes |
Suborder: | † Enchodontoidei |
Family: | † Dercetidae Woodward, 1901 |
Genera | |
See text |
The Dercetidae are an extinct family of aulopiform fish that are known from the Late Cretaceous to the Paleocene (and possibly to the Eocene if Stratodus is a member). [1] [2] [3] They are among the many members of the diverse, extinct suborder Enchodontoidei, which were dominant during the Cretaceous. [4] [5] Many genera evolved a very slender body plan with elongated jaws, closely converging on modern needlefish. [2] [6]
Initially, due to their slender appearance, dercetids were classified with the spiny eels in the order Notacanthiformes, but this was only based on their superficially similar body plans. More recent research indicates that the dercetids were related to modern lizardfish and grinners. [2]
The following genera are known: [7]
The genus Robertichthys was previously considered a dercetid, but more recent studies suggest that it was an aspidorhynchid, a member of an entirely different group of fish. [7]
Some studies suggest that this family is paraphyletic. [4] However, others have found it to be monophyletic. [5] [6]
Aulopiformes is a diverse order of marine ray-finned fish consisting of some 15 extant and several prehistoric families with about 45 genera and over 230 species. The common names grinners, lizardfishes and allies, or aulopiforms are sometimes used for this group. The scientific name means "Aulopus-shaped", from Aulopus + the standard fish order suffix "-formes". It ultimately derives from Ancient Greek aulós + Latin forma, the former in reference to the elongated shape of many aulopiforms.
Enchodus is an extinct genus of aulopiform ray-finned fish related to lancetfish and lizardfish. Species of Enchodus flourished during the Late Cretaceous, and there is some evidence that they may have survived to the Paleocene or Eocene; however, this may just represent reworked Cretaceous material.
Berycopsis is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish from the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils are known from England, Germany, and Lebanon. A potential specimen is known from the Czech Republic.
Paraulopus is the only genus in the family Paraulopidae, a family of grinners in the order Aulopiformes. They are commonly known as cucumberfishes, but locally some other Teleostei are also known by that name. They were considered in the Chlorophthalmidae or greeneye family until 2001.
Cimolichthys is an extinct genus of large predatory marine aulopiform fish known worldwide from the Late Cretaceous. It is the only member of the family Cimolichthyidae.
Apateodus is a genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish which was described by Woodward in 1901. It was a relative of modern lizardfish and lancetfish in the order Aulopiformes, and one of a number of prominent nektonic aulopiforms of Cretaceous marine ecosystems.
Apateopholis is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish. It is the only member of the family Apateopholidae and contains a single species, A. laniatus, from the Cenomanian of Lebanon. It was a relative of modern lizardfish and lancetfish in the order Aulopiformes. At least one study has found it to be a potential sister genus to the enigmatic Yabrudichthys of the West Bank.
Stratodus is a genus of giant prehistoric aulopiform fish found in Cretaceous-aged marine strata of Kansas, Alabama, Morocco, Israel, and Niger, South Dakota, Jordan. It has also been found in the Tamaguélelt Formation of Mali, dating to the Lower Eocene, indicating that Stratodus survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. This sleek fish has an upper jaw filled with multiple rows of tiny teeth and was the largest aulopiform, reaching 5 meters in length.
Caproberyx is an extinct genus of marine acanthomorph ray-finned fish, possibly a holocentrid, from the Late Cretaceous.
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.
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.
Alloberyx is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish, possibly a holocentrid, that lived during the Santonian of Lebanon. It contains a single species, A. syriacus, initially described as a species of Pseudoberyx.
Adriacentrus is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine bony fish that lived in the Turonian in what is now Croatia. It contains a single species, A. crnolataci. Formerly considered a beryciform fish, it is now known to be more closely related to the squirrelfish (Holocentridae).
Clupavus is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish that lived during the middle of the Cretaceous period. It is known from North Africa, Europe, Brazil, and possibly North America.
Armigatus is an extinct genus of marine clupeomorph fishes belonging to the order Ellimmichthyiformes. These fishes lived in the Cretaceous ; their fossil remains have been found in Mexico, southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, suggesting the genus ranged across the Tethys Sea.
Bachea is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now central Colombia, South America. The type species is Bachea huilensis, described in 1997 by María Páramo from the Turonian of Huila, Colombia.
Enchodontidae is an extinct family of aulopiform fish known from the mid-late Cretaceous. It contains two subfamilies with several genera, including the famous Enchodus, with great morphological disparity among members of the group.
Ichthyotringidae is an extinct family of aulopiform fish known from the Early to Late Cretaceous. It is one of the Enchodontoidei, a diverse group of aulopiforms that were dominant marine fish during the Cretaceous.
Halecidae is an extinct family of aulopiform fish known from the Cretaceous. It is one of the Enchodontoidei, a diverse group of aulopiforms that were dominant marine fish during the Cretaceous.
The Enchodontoidei are an extinct superorder of aulopiform fish known from the Early Cretaceous to the Eocene. They were among the dominant predatory marine fish groups in the Late Cretaceous, achieving a worldwide distribution. They were an extremely diverse group, with some developing fusiform body plans whereas others evolved elongated body plans with long beaks, superficially similar to eels and needlefish. They could also grow to very large sizes, as seen with Cimolichthys and Stratodus, the latter of which is the largest aulopiform known. Their most famous member is the widespread, abundant, and long-lasting genus Enchodus.