''Palaeocarassius '' is an extinct

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

-aged

cyprinid fish Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barbs and barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family, and the ...

closely related to the

crucian carp The crucian carp (''Carassius carassius'') is a medium-sized member of the common carp family Cyprinidae. It occurs widely in northern European regions. Its name derives from the Low German ''karusse'' or ''karutze'', possibly from Medieval Lat ...

s of ''

Carassius ''Carassius '' is a genus in the ray-finned fish family Cyprinidae. Most species in this genus are commonly known as '' crucian carps'', though that term often refers specifically to '' C. carassius''. The most well known species is the goldfish ...

''. Most fossils are of

otolith An otolith (, ' ear + , ', a stone), also called otoconium, statolith, or statoconium, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle (ear), utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The saccule ...

s, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata throughout

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, though, two species, ''P. basalticus'' and ''P. priscus'' ( syn. ''

Cyprinus ''Cyprinus'' is the genus of typical carps in family Cyprinidae. Most species in the genus are of East Asia origin with only the common carp (''C. carpio'') in Western Asia and Europe; this invasive species has also been Introduced species, intr ...

priscus''), are also known from whole body fossils, representing stout-bodied, large-headed animals that bear strong resemblances to the living crucian carps. The holotype of the type species, ''P. mydlovariensis'', is a disarticulated head.

Species

* ''

Palaeocarassius mydlovariensis ''Palaeocarassius '' is an extinct genus of Miocene-aged cyprinid fish closely related to the crucian carps of ''Carassius''. Most fossils are of otoliths, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata throughout Europe, ...

'' Obrhelová, 1970 (type species) * ''

Palaeocarassius basalticus ''Palaeocarassius '' is an extinct genus of Miocene-aged cyprinid fish closely related to the crucian carps of ''Carassius''. Most fossils are of otoliths, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata throughout Europe, ...

'' Gaudant, 1997 (French species) * ''

Palaeocarassius obesus ''Palaeocarassius '' is an extinct genus of Miocene-aged cyprinid fish closely related to the crucian carps of ''Carassius''. Most fossils are of otoliths, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata throughout Europe, ...

'' * ''

Palaeocarassius priscus ''Palaeocarassius '' is an extinct genus of Miocene-aged Cyprinidae, cyprinid fish closely related to the crucian carps of ''Carassius''. Most fossils are of otoliths, teeth, fin spines, and scales found in Miocene-aged lacustrine strata through ...

'' (H. von Meyer, 1852) (syn. ''Cyprinus priscus'')

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q65072752 Cyprininae Miocene fish of Europe Prehistoric ray-finned fish genera Cyprinidae genera