|
Latimeriidae
Latimeriidae is the only extant family of coelacanths, an ancient lineage of lobe-finned fish. It contains two extant species in the genus ''Latimeria'', found in deep waters off the coasts of southern Africa and east-central Indonesia. In addition, several fossil genera are known from the Mesozoic of Europe, the Middle East, and the southeastern United States, dating back to the Triassic. The latimeriids are thought to have always been an exclusively marine group. They may have originated in the western Tethys Sea, as many of the earliest species are known from areas that it formerly covered. The largest known member of the family, the Late Cretaceous '' Megalocoelacanthus'', may have reached 4.5 metres in length. The Latimeriidae are thought to be the sister group to the Mawsoniidae, an extinct family of coelacanths that survived until the Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the more recent of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coelacanth
Coelacanths ( ) are an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to ray-finned fish. The name coelacanth originates from the Permian genus '' Coelacanthus'', which was the first scientifically named genus of coelacanths (in 1839), becoming the type genus of Coelacanthiformes as other species were discovered and named. Well-represented in freshwater and marine deposits from as early as the Devonian period (more than 410million years ago), they were thought to have become extinct in the Late Cretaceous, around 66million years ago. The first living species, ''Latimeria chalumnae'', the West Indian Ocean coelacanth, was described from specimens fished off the coast of South Africa from 1938 onward; they are now also known to inhabit the seas around the Comoro Islands off the eas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foreyia
''Foreyia'' is an extinct genus of coelacanth lobe-finned fish which lived during the Middle Triassic period in what is now Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It contains a single species ''F. maxkuhni''. Naming The generic name honors the late Peter L. Forey for his contributions to the study of coelacanth fishes. The specific epithet honors Max Kuhn, who had been instrumental in preparing fossils from Monte San Giorgio for 12 years, including the holotype and paratype specimens of ''F. maxkuhni''. Description and classification ''F. maxkuhni'' is an aberrant-looking member of the family Latimeriidae, with a proportionally enormous head, a curved, beak-like maxilla, an underbite, and a low, horn-like point on its otherwise dome-like head. Despite such a bizarre appearance, phylogenetic analyses squarely place ''F. maxkuhni'' as the sister taxon of '' Ticinepomis'', another latimeriid also found in the same strata. The two latimeriids share numerous anatomical traits with each ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Latimeria
''Latimeria'' is a rare genus of fish which contains the two only living species of coelacanth. It includes two Extant taxon, extant species: the West Indian Ocean coelacanth (''Latimeria chalumnae'') and the Indonesian coelacanth (''Latimeria menadoensis''). They follow the oldest known living Lineage (evolution), lineage of Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish and tetrapods), which means they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles and mammals) than to the common ray-finned fishes and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous fishes. They are found along the coastlines of the Indian Ocean and Indonesia. Since there are only two known species of coelacanth and both are threatened, it is one of the most endangered genera of animals in the world. The West Indian Ocean coelacanth is a critically endangered species. Biological characteristics Based on growth rings in the creatures' ear bones (otoliths), scientists infer that individual coelacanths may live as long ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Libys
''Libys'' is a genus of coelacanth fish in the family of Latimeriidae. Species of ''Libys'' lived during the Lower-Upper Jurassic period Period may refer to: Common uses * Period (punctuation) * Era, a length or span of time *Menstruation, commonly referred to as a "period" Arts, entertainment, and media * Period (music), a concept in musical composition * Periodic sentence (o ... (Toarcian - Tithonian, about 183 to 145 million years ago). Description ''Libys'' had an exceptionally squat body, especially when compared to other coelacanths of the same period as ''Undina (fish), Undina'' and ''Holophagus''. ''Libys'' could reach 60 centimeters in length and was therefore a medium-sized coelacanth, with a short and high skull. The pectoral fins were quite long, while the tail was remarkably short and high. Distribution Fossils of these fishes have been found in Germany, in the famous deposits of Solnhofen Limestone, Solnhofen. Species * ''Libys superbus'' Reis, 1888 * ''Liby ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ticinepomis
left, Marine life of the Early and early Middle Triassic: ''Ticinepomis'' (13) ''Ticinepomis'' is an extinct genus of coelacanth lobe-finned fish which lived during the Middle Triassic period in what is now Switzerland. It contains two species, ''T. peyeri'' and ''T. ducanensis.'' Specimens of the species ''T. peyeri'', which was named after Bernhard Peyer, are most common in the Besano Formation (or Grenzbitumenzone) of Monte San Giorgio in canton Ticino. Other coelacanths from Monte San Giorgio include a larger species (tentatively referred to '' Holophagus picenus'') from the Besano Formation, and a species of ''Heptanema'' from the Meride Limestone. Larger ''Ticinepomis'' specimens have been found in the Prosanto Formation of canton Graubünden, originally referred to as ''Ticinepomis'' cf. ''T. peyeri''. A revision showed that this material belongs to a new species, ''T. ducanensis'', remains of which were also discovered in the Besano Formation of canton Ticino. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holophagus
''Holophagus'' is an extinct genus of coelacanth belonging to Latimeriidae Latimeriidae is the only extant family of coelacanths, an ancient lineage of lobe-finned fish. It contains two extant species in the genus ''Latimeria'', found in deep waters off the coasts of southern Africa and east-central Indonesia. In additi .... The type species, ''Holophagus gulo,'' is known from the Lower Jurassic marine Lias of England. Some authors have considered the genus restricted to the Lias of England. Taxonomy The species ''Holophagus penicillata/penicillatus'' from the Late Jurassic of Europe is now assigned to the genus '' Undina''. The species ''Holophagus picenus'' from the Middle Triassic of Europe has also been reassigned by some authors to ''Undina''. At least some specimens assigned to the genus from the Upper Jurassic of Germany actually belong to the genus '' Libys''. The species ''Holophagus leridae'' from the Early Cretaceous El Montesec site in Spain, with other remains ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mawsoniidae
Mawsoniidae is an extinct family of prehistoric coelacanth fishes which lived during the Triassic to Cretaceous periods. Members of the family are distinguished from their sister group, the Latimeriidae (which contains the living coelacanths of the genus ''Latimeria'') by the presence of ossified ribs, a coarse rugose texture on the dermatocranium and cheek bones, the absence of the suboperculum and the spiracular, and reduction or loss of the descending process of the supratemporal. Mawsoniids are known from North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Madagascar and Asia. Unlike Latimeriidae, which are exclusively marine, Mawsoniidae were also native to freshwater and brackish environments. Mawsoniids represent among the youngest known coelacanths, with the youngest known remains of the freshwater genus '' Axelrodichthys'' from France and an indeterminate marine species from Morocco being from the final stage of the Cretaceous, the Maastrichtian The Maastrichtian ( ) i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macropoma
''Macropoma'' (from Greek μακρός "large" + πόμα "cover", after its large operculum) is an extinct genus of coelacanth in the class Sarcopterygii. Fossils of ''Macropoma'' have been found in both England and Czech Republic, dating to the mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Turonian). Recorded fossils have bodies under two feet in length. A modern coelacanth measures five or more, but in other respects the two genera are remarkably similar, and share the same body plan with a three-lobed tail and stalked fins. ''Macropoma'' grew to a length of 22 inches (55 centimeters) and would have preyed upon smaller aquatic species. References * Barry Cox, Colin Harrison, R.J.G. Savage, and Brian Gardiner. (1999): The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Undina (fish)
''Undina'' is a genus of prehistoric coelacanth, lobe-finned fish, which lived from the Triassic period to the Cretaceous period (Only ranges Sinemurian to Tithonian In the geological timescale, the Tithonian is the latest age (geology), age of the Late Jurassic Epoch and the uppermost stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 149.2 ±0.7 annum, Ma and 143.1 ±0.6 (mi ... according to 2021 study). Species * ''Undina acutidens'' Reis, 1888 * ''Undina barroviensis'' * ''Undina gulo'' (synonym: ''Holophagus gulo'') (type species) * ''Undina penicillata'' (Munster) * ''Undina? picena'' (Costa, 1862) * ''Undina purbeckensis'' Distribution Species of this genus have been found in Cretaceous of Spain, in Jurassic of Germany, Turkey and the United Kingdom and in Triassic of Italy. References The Paleobiology Database*Paul H. LAMBERredescription of the coelacanth Macropoma willemoesii VETTER from the lithographic limestone of Solnhofen (U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rieppelia
''Rieppelia'' is an extinct genus of latimeriid coelacanth fish from the Middle Triassic of Switzerland, in what is now Monte San Giorgio. It contains a single species, ''R. heinzfurreri''. Naming The generic name is given in honor of Dr. Olivier Rieppel, who was the first to report the presence of the taxon in the fossil fauna of San Giorgio. The species is named after Dr. Heinz Furrer, who made major contributions to the geological and paleontological research of Switzerland, especially the deposits of the Triassic period. Description ''Rieppelia'' is an unusually short (63 cm) and stout coelacanth, akin to the closely related '' Foreyia''. Its skull and fins had features reminiscing Paleozoic coelacanths, and a non-functional intracranial joint. Teeth were many, small, pointed and curved. Habitat ''Rieppelia'' lived in shallow lagoons or basins at the western end of Paleo-Tethys Ocean, and along with related genera was probably an endemism. Classification ''Rieppelia' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megalocoelacanthus
''Megalocoelacanthus dobiei'' is an extinct species of giant latimeriid coelacanth lobe-finned fish which lived during the Lower Campanian epoch until possibly the early Maastrichtian in the Late Cretaceous period in Appalachia, the Western Interior Seaway and Mississippi Embayment. Its disarticulated remains have been recovered from the Eutaw Formation, Mooreville Chalk Formation, and Blufftown Formation of Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia, and also from the Niobrara Formation of Kansas. Although no complete skeleton is known, careful examination of skeletal elements demonstrate it is closely related to the Jurassic-aged coelacanthid ''Libys''. The species is named for herpetologist Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ... James L. Dobie. It has been estimated to hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
