Xylacanthus (fish)

Xylacanthus
Temporal range: Wenlock–Pragian
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: †Acanthodii
Order: †Ischnacanthiformes
Family: †Ischnacanthidae
Genus: †Xylacanthus
Tor Ørvig, 1967
Species
  • †X. kenstewarti
  • †X. minutus
  • †X. grandis

Xylacanthus is a genus of extinct acanthodian fish belonging to the family Ischnacanthidae. It lived during the Silurian to Devonian periods. Three species of Xylacanthus are known, X. kenstewarti from Late Wenlock to Early Ludlow from the Mackenzie Mountains in Canada,[1] X. minutus from Lochkovian of Spitsbergen in Norway,[2] and X. grandis from Siegenian of Spitsbergen.[3] X. grandis was the largest acanthodian with 35 cm (14 in) long jaw bone and estimated total length of 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in).[3]

  1. ^ Hanke, Gavin F; Wilson, Mark VH; Lindoe, L Allan (2001). "New species of Silurian acanthodians from the Mackenzie Mountains, Canada". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 38 (11): 1517–1529. doi:10.1139/e01-039. ISSN 0008-4077.
  2. ^ "Nouveaux poissons acanthodiens du Dévonien du Spitsberg". Geodiversitas. 19 (3): 505–513. 1997.
  3. ^ a b Ørvig, Tor (1967). "Some new acanthodian material from the Lower Devonian of Europe". Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology. 47 (311): 131–153. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1967.tb01400.x.