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Ichthyodectidae
Ichthyodectiformes is an extinct order of marine stem-teleost ray-finned fish. The order is named after the genus ''Ichthyodectes'', established by Edward Drinker Cope in 1870. Ichthyodectiforms are usually considered to be some of the closest relatives of the teleost crown group. They were most diverse throughout the Cretaceous period, though basal forms like '' Thrissops, Occithrissops'' and '' Allothrissops'' are known from the Middle-Late Jurassic of Europe and North America. They were almost entirely wiped out by the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, but a single species, '' Saurocephalus lanciformis'', appears to have survived into the earliest Paleocene (Danian). Most ichthyodectiforms ranged between in length. Most of known taxa were predators, feeding on smaller fish; in several cases, larger ichthyodectiforms preyed on smaller members of the order. Some species had remarkably large teeth, though others, such as '' Gillicus arcuatus'', had small ones and sucked i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xiphactinus Audax
''Xiphactinus'' (from Latin and Greek for "sword-ray") is an extinct genus of large predatory marine ray-finned fish that lived during the late Albian to the late Maastrichtian. The genus grew up to in length, and superficially resembled a gargantuan, fanged tarpon. It is a member of the extinct order Ichthyodectiformes, which represent close relatives of modern teleosts. The species ''Portheus molossus'' described by Cope is a junior synonym of ''X. audax''. Skeletal remains of ''Xiphactinus'' have come from the Carlile Shale and Greenhorn Limestone of Kansas (where the first ''Xiphactinus'' fossil was discovered during the 1850s in the Niobrara Chalk),''Xiphactinus'' at .org< ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middle Jurassic
The Middle Jurassic is the second Epoch (geology), epoch of the Jurassic Period (geology), Period. It lasted from about 174.1 to 161.5 million years ago. Fossils of land-dwelling animals, such as dinosaurs, from the Middle Jurassic are relatively rare, but geological formations containing land animal fossils include the Forest Marble Formation in England, the Kilmaluag Formation in Scotland,British Geological Survey. 2011Stratigraphic framework for the Middle Jurassic strata of Great Britain and the adjoining continental shelf: research report RR/11/06 British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham. the Calcaire de Caen of France, the Daohugou Beds in China, the Itat Formation in Russia, the Tiouraren Formation of Niger, and the Isalo III Formation of western Madagascar. Rocks of the Middle Jurassic were formerly (until about 1980s) in Europe called ''Dogger'' or ''Brown Jurassic''. Paleogeography During the Middle Jurassic Epoch, Pangaea began to separate into Laurasia and Gond ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allothrissops
''Allothrissops'' is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish in the order Ichthyodectiformes, or bulldog fish. It is known from the Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic is the third Epoch (geology), epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time scale, geologic time from 161.5 ± 1.0 to 143.1 ± 0.8 million years ago (Ma), which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum, strata.Owen ... of Germany, where it has been found in the famous Solnhofen Limestone. The following species are known: * ''A. mesogaster'' (Agassiz, 1834) * ''A. salmoneus'' (de Blainville, 1818) * ''A. regleyi'' (Thiollière, 1854) Formerly placed with several other genera in the family Allothrissopidae, more recent studies have found this placement to be paraphyletic, and it is now placed as a basal ichthyodectiform. References Ichthyodectiformes Prehistoric ray-finned fish genera Solnhofen fauna Late Jurassic fish of Europe Late Jurassic bony fish Kimmeridgian genera Fossil tax ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sarcastic Fringehead
The sarcastic fringehead (''Neoclinus blanchardi'') is a small but hardy saltwater tube-blenny that possesses a large mouth and aggressive territorial behavior, for which it has been given its common name. The term 'fringehead' reflects the distinctive ruff of tissue surrounding the fish's neck. The specific name honors Dr. S. B. Blanchard of San Diego, California, who collected specimens of this blenny and passed them on to Charles Frédéric Girard, who described it. Appearance Sarcastic fringeheads can be up to long, elegant and slender, and are mostly scaleless with great pectoral fins and reduced pelvic fins. The swimming movements of these fish mainly consist of short, dart-like movements. Their body coloration varies from warm brown to gray with a blotchy appearance. Male sarcastic fringeheads are distinguished by their extremely wide mouth gape, which, when open, may be as much as four times its size when closed. The interior of the mouth is brightly colored, with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dugaldia (fish)
''Hymenoxys'' (rubberweed or bitterweed) is a genus of plants in the sunflower family, native to North and South America. It was named by Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini in 1828. Plants of this genus are toxic to sheep due to the presence of the sesquiterpene lactone hymenoxon. ; Species * '' Hymenoxys ambigens'' - Pinaleno Mountain rubberweed - Arizona New Mexico * '' Hymenoxys anthemoides'' - Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina * '' Hymenoxys biennis'' - Utah * '' Hymenoxys bigelovii'' - Utah Arizona New Mexico * '' Hymenoxys brachyactis'' - East View rubberweed - New Mexico * '' Hymenoxys brandegeei'' - Arizona New Mexico Colorado * '' Hymenoxys cabrerae'' - Argentina * '' Hymenoxys californica'' - California, Baja California * '' Hymenoxys chrysanthemoides'' - San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Zacatecas, México State, Puebla, Oaxaca, Hidalgo * '' Hymenoxys cooperi'' - Cooper's rubberweed - California Nevada Arizona Utah Idaho Oregon Ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endotherm
An endotherm (from Greek ἔνδον ''endon'' "within" and θέρμη ''thermē'' "heat") is an organism that maintains its body at a metabolically favorable temperature, largely by the use of heat released by its internal bodily functions instead of relying almost purely on ambient heat. Such internally generated heat is mainly an incidental product of the animal's routine metabolism, but under conditions of excessive cold or low activity an endotherm might apply special mechanisms adapted specifically to heat production. Examples include special-function muscular exertion such as shivering, and uncoupled oxidative metabolism, such as within brown adipose tissue. Only birds and mammals are considered truly endothermic groups of animals. However, Argentine black and white tegu, leatherback sea turtles, lamnid sharks, tuna and billfishes, cicadas, and winter moths are mesothermic. Unlike mammals and birds, some reptiles, particularly some species of python and tegu, po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gillicus Arcuatus
''Gillicus'' was a relatively small, long ichthyodectiform ray-finned fish that lived in central North America (Western Interior Seaway), Europe and East Asia, from the late Albian to the early Maastrichtian. Description Like its larger relative, '' Ichthyodectes ctenodon'', ''Gillicus'' had numerous small teeth lining its jaws, and ate smaller fish by sucking them into its mouth, but the teeth of ''Gillicus'' are so small that the jaws appear almost toothless at first, which has led to the suggestion that ''Gillicus'' was also a filter-feeder. ''Gillicus'' was also eaten by its own relative, '' Xiphactinus''. One particular long fossil specimen contains a nearly perfectly preserved long ''Gillicus arcuatus'' inside its ribcage. The ''Gillicus'' bones have not been digested so the larger fish must have died soon after eating its prey. The cause of death may have been due to injuries, such as a ruptured major blood vessel, caused by the fin of the smaller fish as it struggle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology (biology), morphology, behaviour, or ecological niche. In addition, palaeontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. The most recent rigorous estimate for the total number of species of eukaryotes is between 8 and 8.7 million. About 14% of these had been described by 2011. All species (except viruses) are given a binomial nomenclature, two-part name, a "binomen". The first part of a binomen is the name of a genus to which the species belongs. The second part is called the specific name (zoology), specific name or the specific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Predator
Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common List of feeding behaviours, feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill the Host (biology), host) and parasitoidism (which always does, eventually). It is distinct from Scavenger, scavenging on dead prey, though many predators also scavenge; it overlaps with Herbivore, herbivory, as Seed predation, seed predators and destructive frugivores are predators. Predation behavior varies significantly depending on the organism. Many predators, especially carnivores, have evolved distinct hunting strategy, hunting strategies. Pursuit predation involves the active search for and pursuit of prey, whilst ambush predation, ambush predators instead wait for prey to present an opportunity for capture, and often use stealth or aggressive mimicry. Other predators are opportunism, opportunistic or om ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taxa
In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and given a particular ranking, especially if and when it is accepted or becomes established. It is very common, however, for taxonomists to remain at odds over what belongs to a taxon and the criteria used for inclusion, especially in the context of rank-based (" Linnaean") nomenclature (much less so under phylogenetic nomenclature). If a taxon is given a formal scientific name, its use is then governed by one of the nomenclature codes specifying which scientific name is correct for a particular grouping. Initial attempts at classifying and ordering organisms (plants and animals) were presumably set forth in prehistoric times by hunter-gatherers, as suggested by the fairly sophisticated folk taxonomies. Much later, Aristotle, and later st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Danian
The Danian is the oldest age or lowest stage of the Paleocene Epoch or Series, of the Paleogene Period or System, and of the Cenozoic Era or Erathem. The beginning of the Danian (and the end of the preceding Maastrichtian) is at the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event . The age ended , being followed by the Selandian. Stratigraphic definitions The Danian was introduced in scientific literature by German-Swiss geologist Pierre Jean Édouard Desor in 1847 following a study of fossils found in France and Denmark.Danien Den Store Danske Encyklopædi He identified this stage in deposits from [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
