Australosomus (meaning "southern body") is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the Early Triassic epoch in what is now Greenland, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa and Canada (British Columbia).[3][4][1]
Australosomus Temporal range:
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | †Pholidopleuriformes |
Family: | †Pholidopleuridae |
Genus: | †Australosomus Pivetau, 1930 |
Type species | |
†Pristisomus merlei Priem, 1924
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Other species[2] | |
The type species, Australosomus merlei from Madagascar, was first described as Pristisomus merlei by Ferdinand Priem. A new genus, Australosomus, was later erected for this species by Jean Piveteau.[5]
Australosomus is one of many genera to arise after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, only to die out during the Early Triassic,[4] possibly during a subsequent extinction event.[3]
Most species were marine, except for the African species, which were found in freshwater deposits.
Australosomus is an elongate fish. The interlocking scales (3 to 4 times long as wide), deeply forked caudal fin all help to distinguish this genus.[6] It achieved standard lengths of about 100 mm (3.9 in) to 310 mm (12 in).[4]