Thoracopteridae is an extinct family of prehistoric bony fish classified with the order

Peltopleuriformes Peltopleuriformes is an extinct order of ray-finned fish. Classification * Order †Peltopleuriformes Lehman, 1966 eltopleuroidei Lehman 1966ref name="mikko"> ** Family †Peltopleuridae Brough, 1939 *** Genus †'' Marcopoloichthys'' Tintori e ...

, containing four genera: ''

Thoracopterus ''Thoracopterus'' is an extinct genus of overwater gliding ray-finned fish from the Carnian age of the Late Triassic. It is a monotypic taxon, with the type species being ''T. niederristi''. ''Thoracopterus'' had elongate pectoral fins, similar ...

'', ''

Gigantopterus ''Gigantopterus'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Carnian stage of the Late Triassic epoch. See also * Prehistoric fish * List of prehistoric bony fish This list of prehistoric bony fish is an attempt to cr ...

'', '' Potanichthys'' and '' Italopterus''. This lineage of Triassic flying fish-like Perleidiformes converted their pectoral and pelvic fins into broad wings very similar to those of their modern counterparts. However, this group is not related to modern flying fish from the family

Exocoetidae The Exocoetidae are a family of marine ray-finned fish in the order Beloniformes, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven genera. While they do not "fly" in the same way a bird does, flying fish c ...

, instead being a case of

convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last comm ...

Classification

* Family †Thoracopteridae Griffith, 1977 ''sensu'' Xu et al., 2013 ** Genus †''

'' Bronn, 1858 *** †''Thoracopterus niederristi'' Bronn, 1858 ** Genus †''

'' Abel, 1906 *** †''Gigantopterus telleri'' Abel, 1906 ** Genus †'' Potanichthys'' Xu et al., 2013 *** †''Potanichthys xingyiensis'' Xu et al., 2013 (or †''Potanichthys wushaensis'' Tintori et al., 2012) ** Genus †'' Italopterus'' Shen & Arratia, 2022 *** †''Italopterus martinisi'' Tintori & Sassi, 1992 *** †''Italopterus magnificus'' Tintori & Sassi, 1992

Bibliography

References

Peltopleuriformes Gliding animals Prehistoric ray-finned fish families {{Peltopleuriformes-stub