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Congopycnodus
''Congopycnodus'' is an extinct genus of freshwater Pycnodontiformes, pycnodontiform fish from the ?Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is known from parts of the skull and its distinct nuchal horn that sits atop its head. ''Congopycnodus'' is among the earliest non-European pycnodontiforms and may have evolved from ancestors that traveled along the coast of Gondwana before journeying further inland. It is a monotypic genus, meaning it contains only a single species, ''Congopycnodus cornutus''. Its attribution to the pycnodonts has been disputed. History and naming ''Congopycnodus'' was described on the basis of skull fragments and nuchal horns discovered in the Jurassic Stanleyville Formation near Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The holotype, which preserves the top of the skull behind the eyes, was discovered in the Stanleyville Otraco locality, while the three additional paratype specimens, all of which consisting of horn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pycnodontiformes
Pycnodontiformes is an extinct order of primarily marine bony fish. The group first appeared during the Late Triassic and disappeared during the Eocene. The group has been found in rock formations in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. They were small to middle-sized fish, generally with laterally-compressed deep bodies, some with almost circular outlines, adapted for manuverability in reef-like environments, though the group was morphologically diverse. Most, but not all members of the groups had jaws with round and flattened teeth, well adapted to crush food items (durophagy), such as echinoderms, crustaceans and molluscs. Some pycnodontiformes developed piranha like teeth used for eating flesh. Most species inhabited shallow marine reef environments, while a handful of species lived in freshwater or brackish conditions. While rare during the Triassic and Early-Middle Jurassic, Pycnodontiformes became abundant and diverse during the Late Jurassic, exhibiting a high ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
