Ichthyodectidae
| Ichthyodectidae Temporal range: Late Jurassic-Late Cretaceous 156.0–66 Ma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1. Xiphactinus audax 2. Ichthyodectes ctenodon 3. Cladocyclus gardneri 4. Chirocentrites sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Superclass: | Osteichthyes |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Subclass: | Neopterygii |
| Infraclass: | Teleostei |
| Superorder: | Osteoglossomorpha |
| Order: | †Ichthyodectiformes |
| Suborder: | †Ichthyodectoidei |
| Family: | †Ichthyodectidae Crook, 1892 |
| Subfamilies | |
|
Ichthyodectinae | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cladocyclidae | |
The family Ichthyodectidae (literally "fish-biters") is an extinct family of marine actinopterygian fish. Sometimes classified in the primitive bony fish order Pachycormiformes, they are now placed in their own order, Ichthyodectiformes, within the superorder Osteoglossomorpha. The type genus is Ichthyodectes, established by Edward Drinker Cope in 1870.
They were most diverse throughout the Cretaceous period, though Thrissops fossils are known from the Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian boundary in the Late Jurassic. Most ichthyodectids ranged between 1 and 5 meters (3–15 ft) in length. All known taxa were predators, feeding on smaller fish; in several cases, larger Ichthyodectidae preyed on smaller members of the family. Some species had remarkably large teeth, though others, such as Gillicus arcuatus, had small ones and sucked in their prey.
Systematics
The basal phylogeny is very badly resolved, leading to many ichthyodectids that are simply known to be rather primitive, but where nothing certain can be said about their precise relationships.
Basal or incertae sedis
- Asiamericana? Nesov, 1995
- Chirocentrites Heckel, 1849
- Cladocyclus Agassiz, 1841
- Cooyoo Bartholomai & Less, 1987
- Eubiodectes Hay, 1903
- Faugichthys Taverne & Chanet, 2000
- Heckelichthys Taverne, 2008
- Thrissops Agassiz, 1843
- Unamichthys Alvarado-Ortega, 2004
Subfamily Saurodontinae
- Gwawinapterus Arbour & Currie, 2011[1]
- Prosaurodon Stewart, 1999
- Saurocephalus Harlan, 1824
- Saurodon Hay, 1830
Subfamily Ichthyodectinae
- Gillicus Cope, 1875
- Ichthyodectes Cope, 1870
- Vallecillichthys Blanco & Cavin, 2003
- Xiphactinus Leidy, 1870
Footnotes
- ↑ Vullo, R., Buffetaut, E. and Everhart, M.J. (2012). "Reappraisal of Gwawinapterus beardi from the Late Cretaceous of Canada: a saurodontid fish, not a pterosaur." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32(5): 1198-1201. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.681078
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ichthyodectidae. |
- Haaramo, Mikko (2008): Mikko's Phylogeny Archive – Ichthyodectiformes. Version of 2008-MAR-11. Retrieved 2008-NOV-20.