Mene rhombea

Mene rhombea is an extinct perciform fish belonging to the family Menidae. During the Middle Eocene (Lutetian epoch), about 48 to 40 mya, these fishes lived in the Tethys Ocean, a large tropical sea in the area corresponding to the current Mediterranean. This ocean was extended between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia. At this time, where Monte Bolca is today, M. rhombea, and its relative, M. oblonga, lived in a tropical lagoon.

Mene rhombea
Temporal range: Middle Eocene
Mene rhombea, from Mount Bolca, Verona
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Family: Menidae
Genus: Mene
Species:
†M. rhombea
Binomial name
†Mene rhombea
Volta, 1796
Synonyms
  • Gasteronemus rhombus

Description

Mene rhombea had a laterally compressed body, very long and slim pelvic fins and a wide triangular tail fin. As suggested by their fossils' small, upturned mouths, and by comparison of its living relative, as Mene maculata, fishes of this species were planktivore. The species shows close affinities with contemporary species inhabiting the coral reef environment of the Indo-Pacific warm seas.

Distribution

Their greatly valued fossils comes from the laggerstat Monte Bolca, about 30 kilometres north-east of Verona, Italy.

  • Restoration of Mene rhombea
    Restoration of Mene rhombea
  • Mene rhombea, from Monte Bolca, Verona, at the Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien
    Mene rhombea, from Monte Bolca, Verona, at the Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien
  • Mene rhombea, from Bolca
    Mene rhombea, from Bolca
  • Mene rhombea specimen of the Lessini mountains in imprint and counterimpress
    Mene rhombea specimen of the Lessini mountains in imprint and counterimpress


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