Ctenothrissiformes

Ctenothrissiformes is an extinct order of prehistoric acanthomorph ray-finned fish, known from the mid-late Cretaceous of Europe and the Middle East.

Taxonomy

• Order Ctenothrissiformes <small>Berg 1937</small>
• Family †Aulolepidae <small>Patterson 1964</small>
• Genus †Aulolepis <small>Agassiz 1836 non Geinitz 1849</small>
• †A. reussi <small>Geinitz 1849</small>
• †A. typa <small>Agassiz 1844</small>
• Genus †Cyclolepis <small>Geinitz 1868 non Gillies ex Don 1832 non Moquin-Tandon 1834</small>
• †C. agassizi <small>Geinitz 1868</small>
• †C. stenodina <small>Cockerell 1919</small>
• Family †Ctenothrissidae <small>Woodward 1901</small>
• Genus †Heterothrissa <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
• †Heterothrissa signeuxae <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
• Genus †Ctenothrissa <small>Woodward 1899</small>
• †C. enigmatica <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
• †C. microcephala <small>(Agassiz 1835-1838)</small> [Beryx microcephalus <small>Agassiz 1835-1838</small>]
• †C. protodorsalis <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
• †C. radians <small>(Agassiz 1835-1838)</small> [Beryx radians <small>Agassiz 1835-1838</small>]
• †C. signifer <small>Hay 1903</small>
• †C. vexillifer <small>(Pictet 1850)</small> [Beryx vexillifer <small>Pictet 1850</small>]

During the mid-20th century, it was briefly suspected that the ctenothrissiforms could be a Lazarus taxon that survived to the modern day, based on the discovery of specimens of the deep-sea fish "Macristium", which closely resembled the extinct Ctenothrissa. However, further discoveries of "Macristium" specimens proved that this genus actually represented the larval form of the aulopiform Bathysaurus, refuting the speculation over surviving ctenothrissiforms.

Timeline of genera

References