Holoptychius
Sign in to saveHoloptychius (from , 'whole' and 'fold') is an extinct genus of porolepiform lobe-finned fish from the Middle Devonian to Carboniferous (Mississippian) periods. It is known from fossils worldwide. The genus was first described by Louis Agassiz in 1839.
Wikidata facts
- Parent taxon
- Holoptychiidae
- Image
- Holoptychius quebecensis.jpg
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- Commons category
- Holoptychius
- taxon name
- Holoptychius
- taxon rank
- genus
- start time
- 383000000-
- end time
- 318000000-
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Encyclopedic overview
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Holoptychius (from , 'whole' and 'fold') is an extinct genus of porolepiform lobe-finned fish from the Middle Devonian to Carboniferous (Mississippian) periods. It is known from fossils worldwide. The genus was first described by Louis Agassiz in 1839.
== Description == Holoptychius was a streamlined predator about long (though largest specimen could grow up to ), which fed on other bony fish. Its rounded scales and body form indicate that it could have swum quickly through the water to catch prey. Similar to other rhipidistians, it had fang-like teeth on its palate in addition to smaller teeth on the jaws. Its asymmetrical tail sported a caudal fin on its lower end. To compensate for the downward push caused by this fin placement, the pectoral fins of Holoptychius were placed high on the body.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Holoptychius” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.