Spinacanthidae

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Spinacanthidae
Temporal range: Early- Middle Eocene [1]
Spinacanthus cuneiformis.jpg
Reconstruction of Spinacanthus
Scientific classification
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Spinacanthidae
Genera

Spinacanthidae is an extinct prehistoric family of tetraodontid bony fish that lived from the Lutetian epoch of Eocene Monte Bolca. [1]

In life, either genus would have resembled a somewhat-flattened boxfish with five massive spines along the anterior-dorsal side, with the longest spine directly above the forehead, and the shortest spine directly in front of the dorsal fin. Protobalistum is distinguished from its close, sympatric relative, Spinacanthus , in that its scales are large, and form a sort of armor. In Spinacanthus, the individual scales are relatively small, and do not touch each other.

Protobalistum and Spinacanthus were a part of the ecosystem of the lagoon that became Monte Bolca. Because of their similarity to boxfish, and due to their close relation to modern-day triggerfish, spinacanthids may have preyed on shellfish and small fish.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2009-02-27.