Aspidorhynchiformes

Aspidorhynchiformes
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic - Late Cretaceous
Aspidorhynchus acustirostris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Order: Aspidorhynchiformes
Bleeker, 1859
Family: Aspidorhynchidae
Bleeker, 1859

Aspidorhynchiformes (meaning "shield snout form") is an extinct order of prehistoric fish that was described by Bleeker in 1859.

Aspidorhynchiformes has one family, which is divided into at least two genera:

  • Aspidorhynchidae

Fossils range have been found in the United States, France, Italy, Russia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Uzbekistan. These fossils range from 167.7mya (Aspidorhynchus) to 66 mya (Belonostomus longirostris).

Vinctifer is presumably closely related, but has several differences from the other two; though it is likely a member of the Aspidorhynchiformes, it might be treated as distinct from the Aspidorhynchidae.

References

http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=63028&is_real_user=1


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