Cylindracanthus

Cylindracanthus
Temporal range: Cenomanian to Priabonian Possible Oligocene and Miocene occurrence
C. rectus spines from Belgium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Genus: †Cylindracanthus
Leidy, 1856
Type species
†Coelorhynchus rectus
Agassiz, 1843
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • †Coelorhynchus Agassiz, 1843

Cylindracanthus is an extinct, enigmatic genus of marine ray-finned fish with fossils known throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Africa from the Late Cretaceous to the late Eocene[1], with potential Oligocene records and a possible Miocene record also known.[2][3][1] It is exclusively known from its distinctive partial remains, which are long cylindrical bony spines that are usually considered rostrum fragments, as well as some associated teeth. These spines are abundant & widespread throughout this timespan, and are useful indicators of a nearshore marine environment, but the taxonomic identity of the fish is still highly uncertain and debated.[1][4]

  1. ^ a b c BARBARA S. GRANDSTAFF, RODRIGO A. PELLEGRINI ,, KENNETH A. MONSCH, DAVID C. PARRIS and DONALD CLEMENTS OVER A CENTURY OF THIN-SECTION MICROSCOPY OF THE FOSSIL FISH CYLINDRACANTHUS NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM INVESTIGATIONS NO. 6, 2018
  2. ^ "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).