Amyzon (genus)

Amyzon Temporal range: Middle Eocene–Oligocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
10cm fossil A. aggregatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Catostomidae
Subfamily:	Ictiobinae
Genus:	Amyzon Cope, 1872
Species
See text

Amyzon is an extinct genus belonging to the sucker family Catostomidae first described in 1872 by E. D. Cope.^[1] There are 4 valid species in the genus. Amyzon are found in North American fossil sites dated from the Early Eocene in Washington USA, and several Early Eocene sites in British Columbia Canada including the McAbee Fossil Beds, Driftwood Canyon, and the Horsefly Beds,^[2] as well as Early Oligocene sites in Nevada USA.

Species

There are currently four valid species included in Amyzon with up to seven species having been described.^[3]

• A. aggregatum (Wilson, 1977) Early Eocene, Horsefly Beds, Horsefly, B.C.
• A. brevipinne (Cope, 1894) Early Eocene, Allenby Formation, Tulameen River, near Princeton, B.C.
• A. commune (Cope, 1874) late Eocene Florissant Formation, Colorado
• A. mentale (Cope, 1872) Oligocene, Osino Oil Shales, Nevada
• A. gosiutensis Grande, Eastman, and Cavender, 1982 Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming, Jr synonym of A. aggregatum
• A. pandatum Cope, 1874 Eocene Florissant Formation, Jr synonym of A. commune
• A. fusiforme Cope, 1875 Eocene Florissant Formation, Jr synonym of A. commune

References

1. Cope, ED (1872). "On the Tertiary coal and fossils of Osino, Nevada". Proceedings, American Philosophical Society 12: 478–481.
2. Wilson, MVH (1977). "Middle Eocene freshwater fishes from British Columbia". Life Sciences Contributions, Royal Ontario Museum 113: 1–66.
3. Bruner, JC (1991). "Comments on the Genus Amyzon (Family Catostomidae)". Journal of Paleontology 65 (4): 678–686.