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Elopopsis

Elopopsis (meaning "Elops-like face") is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous ( Cenomanian to Turonian) of Europe, North Africa and North America. It was a member of the Crossognathiformes, in the family Pachyrhizodontidae.

It contains the following species:

  • †E. crassus <small>(Dixon, 1850)</small> - early-mid Cenomanian to middle Turonian of England (English Chalk)
  • †E. heckeli <small>Reuss, 1857</small> - Cenomanian of the Czech Republic
  • †E. fenzli <small>Heckel, 1856</small> (type species) - late Cenomanian of Slovenia (Komen Limestone)
  • †E. microdon <small>Heckel, 1856</small> - late Cenomanian of Slovenia (Komen Limestone), Morocco (Jbel Tselfat), and Germany (Hesseltal Formation)
  • †E. smithwoodwardi <small>Bayer, 1905</small> - Turonian of the Czech Republic
  • †E. ziegleri <small>von der Marck, 1868</small> - late Turonian of Germany

Indeterminate remains referable to Elopopsis are known from the Cenomanian of Saskatchewan, Canada (Ashville Formation) and the United States (Greenhorn Limestone of Colorado, Graneros Shale of Nebraska), indicating that they inhabited the Western Interior Seaway early on. The former species "E." dentex from the Komen Limestone appears to be a specimen of Enchodus.

It was likely a predatory fish that fed on smaller fish. A well-preserved specimen of E. microdon from the Hesseltal Formation of Germany has fossilized intestinal casts.

References