Pholidophorus

Pholidophorus Temporal range: Middle Triassic–Late Jurassic PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Pachycormiformes
Family:	Pholidophoridae
Genus:	Pholidophorus Agassiz, 1832
Species
P. australis P. brevis P. granulatus P. purbeckensis

Pholidophorus is an extinct genus of teleost fish from the Triassic and Jurassic periods of Africa, Europe, and South America.

Restoration

Fossil of Pholidophorus beckii

Pholidophorus was a herring-like fish about 40 centimetres (16 in) long, although it was not closely related to modern herring. Like them, however, it had a single dorsal fin, a symmetrical tail, and an anal fin placed towards the rear of the body. It had large eyes and was probably a fast-swimming predator, hunting planktonic crustaceans and smaller fish.^[1]

A very early teleost, Pholidophoris had many primitive characteristics such as ganoid scales and a spine that was partially composed of cartilage, rather than bone.^[1]

A contrary view

According to T.S. Kemp, "a single species of fish from the Jurassic, Pholidophorus bechii, is thought to be the sister-group" of all fossil and living teleosts.^[2]

References

1. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. pp. 38–39. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
2. Kemp T.S. 1999. Fossils and evolution. Oxford University Press. p122 ISBN 0-19-850424-1