| Martinichthys Temporal range: Coniacian, | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | † Tselfatiiformes |
| Family: | † Plethodidae |
| Genus: | † Martinichthys McClung, 1926 |
| Species | |
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Martinichthys is an extinct genus of plethodid fish from the Cretaceous of North America. [1] [2] It is known from the Niobrara Chalk, in which it is exceedingly rare. [3] It is named after one H. T. Martin, who collected the most complete specimen at the time of description. [2]
Two species are known, the short-snouted M. brevis and the long-snouted M. ziphioides; multiple other species previously described have been synonymized with M. ziphioides. [4] With its long rostrum, the genus shows notable morphological convergence with modern billfish and the co-occurring pachycormid fish Protosphyraena , although not to the extent of its close relative, Rhamphoichthys . [5]
