Australosomus

Australosomus is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the Early Triassic epoch.[1]

Australosomus Temporal range: Early Triassic[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Australosomus merlei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Pholidopleuriformes
Family:	†Australosomidae Burton 1932
Genus:	†Australosomus Pivetau, 1930
Type species
†Australosomus merlei (Priem, 1924)
Other species[2]
†A. altisquamosus Beltan 1979 †A. kochi Stensiö 1932 †A. longirostris Beltan 1968 †A. pholidopleuroides Nielsen 1949 †A. simplex Nielsen 1949 †A. stockleyi Haughton 1936

The interlocking scales (3 to 4 times long as wide), deeply forked caudal fin all help to distinguish this genus, which is known from Triassic rocks in Greenland, Africa, Madagascar, British Columbia and Vancouver.[3]

Australosomus is one of many genera to arise after the Permian extinction, only to die out during the Triassic extinction.[3]

See also

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish

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