Axelrodichthys

Axelrodichthys
Temporal range: Albian- early Maastrichtian
~112–71.5 Ma
Axelrodichthys araripensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Sarcopterygii
Class: Actinistia
Order: Coelacanthiformes
Family: †Mawsoniidae
Genus: †Axelrodichthys
Maisey, 1986
Species
  • †A. araripensis Maisey, 1986
  • †A. lavocati ? (Tabaste, 1963)
  • †A. maiseyi Carvalho et al., 2013
  • †A. megadromos Cavin et al., 2016

Axelrodichthys is an extinct genus of mawsoniid coelacanth from the Cretaceous of Africa, North and South America, and Europe. Several species are known, the remains of which were discovered in the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) of Brazil,[1] North Africa,[2] and possibly Mexico,[3][4] as well as in the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco (Cenomanian),[5] Madagascar (Coniacian –Santonian)[2] and France (Lower Campanian to Lower Maastrichtian).[6][7] The Axelrodichthys of the Lower Cretaceous frequented both brackish and coastal marine waters (lagoon-coastal environment) while the most recent species lived exclusively in fresh waters (lakes and rivers).[6][7] The French specimens are the last known fresh water coelacanths.[7] Most of the species of this genus reached 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in length.[1] Axelrodichthys was named in 1986 by John G. Maisey in honor of the American ichthyologist Herbert R. Axelrod.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Maisey, J.G. (1986). "Coelacanths from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil". American Museum Novitates (2866): 1–30. hdl:2246/5188.
  2. ^ a b Gottfried, M.D.; Rogers, R.R.; Curry Rogers, K. (2004). "First record of Late Cretaceous coelacanths from Madagascar". In Arratia, G.; Wilson, M.H.; Cloutier, R. (eds.). Recent Advances in the Origin and Early Radiation of Vertebrates. München: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil. pp. 687–691. ISBN 978-3-89937-052-2.
  3. ^ Espinosa-Arrubarrena, L.; Applegate, S.P.; González-Rodríguez, K. (1996). "The first Mexican record of a coelacanth (Osteichthyes: Sarcopterygii) from the Tlayua quarries near Tepexi de Rodríguez, Puebla, with a discussion on the importance of this fossil: Sixth North American Paleontological Convention, Abstracts of Papers". Paleontological Society Special Publication. 116: 116. doi:10.1017/S2475262200001180.
  4. ^ González-Rodríguez, K.A.; Fielitz, Ch.; Bravo-Cuevas, V.M.; Baños-Rodríguez, R.E. (2016). "Cretaceous osteichthyan fish assemblages from Mexico". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 71: 107–119.
  5. ^ Cavin, L.; Boudad, L.; Tong, H.; Läng, E.; Tabouelle, J.; Vullo, R. (2015). "Taxonomic composition and trophic structure of the continental bony fish assemblage from the Early Late Cretaceous of Southeastern Morocco". PLOS ONE. 10 (5): e0125786. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1025786C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125786. PMC 4446216. PMID 26018561.
  6. ^ a b Cavin, L.; Valentin, X.; Garcia, G. (2016). "A new mawsoniid coelacanth (Actinistia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Southern France". Cretaceous Research. 62: 65–73. Bibcode:2016CrRes..62...65C. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2016.02.002.
  7. ^ a b c Cavin, L.; Buffetaut, E.; Dutour, Y.; Garcia, G.; Le Loeuff, J.; Méchin, A.; Méchin, P.; Tong, H.; Tortosa, T.; Turini, E.; Valentin, X. (2020). "The last known freshwater coelacanths: New Late Cretaceous mawsoniids remains (Osteichthyes: Actinistia) from Southern France". PLOS ONE. 15 (6): e0234183. Bibcode:2020PLoSO..1534183C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234183. PMC 7274394. PMID 32502171.