Dorsetichthys

Dorsetichthys is an extinct genus of teleost fish from the Early Jurassic period of Europe.

Dorsetichthys
Temporal range: Early Jurassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Dorsetichthyiformes
Family:
Dorsetichthyidae
Genus:
Dorsetichthys

Arratia, 2013
Species
  • D. bechei Agassiz, 1837 (type)

Description
Fossil of Dorsetichthys bechei

Dorsetichthys 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, Dorsetichthys had many primitive characteristics such as ganoid scales and a spine that was partially composed of cartilage, rather than bone.[1]

Taxonomy

The type species of Dorsetichthys, D. bechei, was formerly assigned to Pholidophorus, but Arratia (2013) recognized as generically distinct from the Pholidophorus type species, placing it in the new family Dorsetichelyidae and new order Dorsetichthyiformes.[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. Arratia, Gloria (November 2013). "Morphology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of Triassic pholidophorid fishes (Actinopterygii, Teleostei)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 33 (sup1): 1–138. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.835642. ISSN 0272-4634.


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