Robustichthys

Robustichthys
Temporal range: Anisian
Fossil specimens, (A) IVPP V18568 (holotype), (B) IVPP V20416
Reconstruction
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Halecomorphi
Order: †Ionoscopiformes
Genus: †Robustichthys
Xu et al., 2014
Type species
†Robustichthys luopingensis
Xu et al., 2014

Robustichthys is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish from the Middle Triassic period, contains only one species R. luopingensis. It belonged to the clade Halecomorphi, which were once diverse during the Mesozoic Era, but which are today represented by only a single species, the bowfin. Halecomorphs are holosteans, a clade which first appeared in the fossil record during the Triassic.

Description

Robustichthys is described from Anisian Guanling Formation, Luoping, Yunnan, China. It is the oldest member of Ionoscopiformes, an order within Halecomorphi. The largest specimen reaches length about 36 cm (1.18 ft), which makes it the largest holostean fish in the Middle Triassic.

References

  1. 1 2 Xu, Guang-Hui; Zhao, Li-Jun; Coates, Michael I. (May 2014). "The oldest ionoscopiform from China sheds new light on the early evolution of halecomorph fishes". Biology Letters. 10 (5) 20140204. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0204. ISSN 1744-9561. PMC 4046378. PMID 24872460.
  2. 1 2 Xu, Guang-Hui (2019-06-24). "Osteology and phylogeny of Robustichthys luopingensis, the largest holostean fish in the Middle Triassic". PeerJ. 7 e7184. doi:10.7717/peerj.7184. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 6596411. PMID 31275762.
  3. ↑ López-Arbarello, Adriana; Sferco, Emilia (March 2018). "Neopterygian phylogeny: the merger assay". Royal Society Open Science. 5 (3) 172337. Bibcode:2018RSOS....572337L. doi:10.1098/rsos.172337. PMC 5882744. PMID 29657820.