| Thoracopteridae Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Italopterus magnificus fossil | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Perleidiformes |
| Family: | †Thoracopteridae Griffith, 1977 sensu Xu et al., 2013 |
| Genera | |
Thoracopteridae is an extinct family of prehistoric bony fish classified with the order Peltopleuriformes, containing four genera: Thoracopterus, Gigantopterus, Potanichthys and Italopterus.[1] This lineage of Triassic flying fish-like Perleidiformes converted their pectoral and pelvic fins into broad wings very similar to those of their modern counterparts. However, this group is not related to modern flying fish from the family Exocoetidae, instead being a case of convergent evolution.[2]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Italo2022was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Xu, Guang-Hui; Zhao, Li-Jun; Gao, Ke-Qin; Wu, Fei-Xiang (7 January 2013). "A new stem-neopterygian fish from the Middle Triassic of China shows the earliest over-water gliding strategy of the vertebrates". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 280 (1750): 20122261. doi:10.1098/rspb.2012.2261. PMC 3574442. PMID 23118437.