Holoptychius

Holoptychius; Temporal range: Late Devonian-Mississippian; ~383–318 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Fossil of H. quebecensis in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	†Porolepiformes
Family:	†Holoptychiidae
Genus:	†Holoptychius; Agassiz 1839
Type species
	Holoptychius nobilissimus;
Species
	H. americanus; H. andersoni; H.გკცეივოვწკგო; H. halli; H. hopkinsii; H. nobilissimus; H. quebecensis;

Holoptychius 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.^[1]

Description[]

Holoptychius was streamlined predator about 50 centimetres (20 in) long (though largest specimen could grew up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft)), 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.^[2]^[3] 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.

Species[]

Of the genus Holoptychius the following species have been described:^[1]^[4]

H. americanus
H. andersoni
H. flemingi
H. giganteus
H. halli
H. hopkinsii
H. nobilissimus
H. quebecensis^{[citation needed]}

Distribution[]

Fossils of Holoptychius have been found in the Mississippian of the United Kingdom and the Devonian of Belgium, Colombia (Cuche Formation, Boyacá),^[5] Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United States (Pennsylvania).^[6]

Gallery[]

H. andersoni
Life restoration of Holoptychius sp.
H. nobilissimus and scale

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Species Holoptychius
^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 43. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
^ Holland, Timothy (2010). "Upper Devonian osteichthyan remains from the Genoa River, Victoria, Australia" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 67: 35–44. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
^ Description Holoptychius
^ Janvier & Villarroel, 1998
^ Holoptychius at Fossilworks.org

Bibliography[]

Janvier, Philippe, and Carlos Villarroel A. 1998. Los Peces Devónicos del Macizo de Floresta (Boyacá, Colombia). Consideraciones taxonómicas, bioestratigráficas, biogeográficas y ambientales. 23. 3-18. Accessed 2017-03-31.

Media related to Holoptychius at Wikimedia Commons

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[Fossiilid-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Species Holoptychius

[EoDP-2] Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 43. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

[3] Holland, Timothy (2010). "Upper Devonian osteichthyan remains from the Genoa River, Victoria, Australia" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 67: 35–44. Retrieved 2017-04-04.

[Prehistoric-4] Description Holoptychius

[Janvier-5] Janvier & Villarroel, 1998

[FWHoloptychius-6] Holoptychius at Fossilworks.org

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Holoptychius Temporal range: Late Devonian-Mississippian ~383–318 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N

Fossil of H. quebecensis in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	†Porolepiformes
Family:	†Holoptychiidae
Genus:	†Holoptychius Agassiz 1839
Type species
Holoptychius nobilissimus
Species
H. americanus H. andersoni H.გკცეივოვწკგო H. halli H. hopkinsii H. nobilissimus H. quebecensis