Sorbinichthys

Sorbinichthys is a genus of extinct ray-finned fish from the Cenomanian of Lebanon and Morocco. It is classified within the order Ellimmichthyiformes. Both species within the genus are small (15 cm) and, like other members of their order, have deep bodies. The most notable feature of the genus is the presence of extremely long 2nd fin rays on the dorsal and pectoral fins that are much longer than the other rays on the respective fins. Sorbinichthys is one of the most basal members of the order and, in some analyes, the sister group of the rest of the order. The fish lived in shallow coastal environments that were home to a number of other fish and invertebrates. Two species are currently recognized: S. elusivo and S. africanus.

== History and naming == The type species of Sorbinichthys was described in 2000 by Bannikov & Bacchia based on material found within the Nammoura locality, within Lebanon. This description was based on the holotype specimen (CLC No. 431) along with two others (AGMV VP1 & MCSNT 12238) with all three specimens being complete specimens of the fish. Murray & Wilson later described a second species in 2010 based on material from a locality in southeastern Morocco that they titled "Agoult", with them naming it after a nearby village. This species was described off of the holotype (UALVP 51640) and paratypes (UALVP 47186 & UALVP 51641) with all three also being complete fish. These specimens were collected the previous year by a field team headed by Brian Chatterton and are of a similar preservation to the ones seen in Lebanon. In 2023, the osteology and relationships of Sorbinichthys were analyzed by Taverne & Capasso. In this paper, a new definition was given to the genus and type species with them also corroborating the more basal placement of Sorbinichthys within earlier papers.