''Mioceratodus'' is an extinct genus of
lungfish
Lungfish are freshwater vertebrates belonging to the class Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, inc ...
in the family
Neoceratodontidae
Neoceratodontidae is a Family (biology), family of lungfish containing ''Neoceratodus'' (represented by the extant Australian lungfish) and the extinct ''Mioceratodus''. It, South American lungfish, Lepidosirenidae, and Protopterus, Protopteridae ...
, which also contains the extant
Queensland lungfish
The Australian lungfish (''Neoceratodus forsteri''), also known as the Queensland lungfish, Burnett salmon and barramunda, is the only surviving member of the family Neoceratodontidae. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world. ...
.
[Consequences of Traumatic injury in Fossil and Recent Dipnoan Dentitions. Kemp, A. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. vol, 21. issue 1. 2001. pg 13-23.] It is known only from
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...
and
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 sediments in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, although phylogenetic evidence supports it having first diverged from its closest relative, ''
Neoceratodus
''Neoceratodus'' is a genus of lungfish in the family Neoceratodontidae. The extant Australian lungfish (''Neoceratodus forsteri'') is the only surviving member of this genus, but it was formerly much more widespread, being distributed throughout ...
'', during 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 ...
or
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous (geochronology, geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphy, chronostratigraphic name) is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 143.1 ...
period.
4 species are known from this genus:
* †''Mioceratodus anemosyrus''
* †''Mioceratodus diaphorus''
* †''Mioceratodus gregoryi''
* †''Mioceratodus poastrus''
See also
*
Sarcopterygii
Sarcopterygii (; )—sometimes considered synonymous with Crossopterygii ()—is a clade (traditionally a class (biology), class or subclass) of vertebrate animals which includes a group of bony fish commonly referred to as lobe-finned fish. The ...
*
List of sarcopterygians
This list of lobe-finned fish is a comprehensive listing of all Genus, genera that have ever been included in the class Sarcopterygii, excluding purely vernacular terms and tetrapods. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera ...
*
List of prehistoric bony fish
This list of prehistoric bony fish is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all Genus, genera from the fossil record that have ever been considered to be bony fish (class Osteichthyes), excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includ ...
References
Prehistoric lungfish genera
Oligocene fish
Miocene fish
{{paleo-lobefinned-fish-stub
Cenozoic fish of Oceania
Fossils of Australia
Fossil taxa described in 1992