Australosomus

Australosomus (meaning "southern body") is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the Early Triassic epoch in what is now Greenland, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa and Canada (British Columbia).[3][4][1]

Australosomus merlei fossil

Australosomus
Temporal range:
Australosomus merlei fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
†Pholidopleuriformes
Family:
†Australosomidae

Burton, 1932
Genus:
†Australosomus

Pivetau, 1930
Binomial name
†Australosomus merlei
(Priem, 1924)
Type species
†Pristisomus merlei
Priem, 1924
Other species[2]
  • †A. altisquamosus Beltan, 1980
  • †A. kochi Stensiö, 1932
  • †A. longirostris Beltan 1968
  • †A. pholidopleuroides Nielsen, 1949
  • †A. simplex Nielsen, 1949
  • †A. stockleyi Haughton, 1936

The type species, Australosomus merlei from Madagascar, was first described as Pristisomus merlei by Ferdinand Priem. A new genus, Australosomus, was later erected for this species by Jean Piveteau.

Australosomus is one of many genera to arise after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, only to die out during the Early Triassic,[4] possibly during a subsequent extinction event.[3]

Most species were marine, except for the African species, which were found in freshwater deposits.

Apprearance

Australosomus is an elongate fish. The interlocking scales (3 to 4 times long as wide), deeply forked caudal fin all help to distinguish this genus.[5] It achieved standard lengths of about 100 mm (3.9 in) to 310 mm (12 in).[4]

See also

References
  1. Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  2. "Part 7- Vertebrates". Collection of genus-group names in a systematic arrangement. Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  3. Ludvigsen, Rolf & Beard, Graham. 1997. West Coast Fossils: A Guide to the Ancient Life of Vancouver Island. pg. 78-79
  4. Romano, Carlo; Koot, Martha B.; Kogan, Ilja; Brayard, Arnaud; Minikh, Alla V.; Brinkmann, Winand; Bucher, Hugo; Kriwet, Jürgen (2016). "Permian-Triassic Osteichthyes (bony fishes): diversity dynamics and body size evolution". Biological Reviews. 91 (1): 106–147. doi:10.1111/brv.12161. PMID 25431138. S2CID 5332637.
  5. Nielsen, Eigil (1949). "Studies on Triassic fishes from East Greenland 2. Australosomus and Birgeria". Palaeozoologica Groenlandica. 3: 1–309.


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