Spinacanthidae
| Spinacanthidae Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Reconstruction of Spinacanthus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | |
| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | Spinacanthidae
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| Genera | |
Spinacanthidae is an extinct prehistoric
In life, either genus would have resembled a somewhat-flattened boxfish with five massive spines along the anterior-dorsal side, with the longest spine directly above the forehead, and the shortest spine directly in front of the dorsal fin. Protobalistum is distinguished from its close,
sympatric relative, Spinacanthus
, in that its scales are large, and form a sort of armor. In Spinacanthus, the individual scales are relatively small, and do not touch each other.
Protobalistum and Spinacanthus were a part of the ecosystem of the lagoon that became
boxfish, and due to their close relation to modern-day triggerfish
, spinacanthids may have preyed on shellfish and small fish.
See also
- Eospinus, another close relative from the Earliest Eocene of Turkmenistan
- Eolactoria, another extinct tetraodontid from Monte Bolca
- Proaracana, another extinct tetraodontid from Monte Bolca
- Prehistoric fish
- List of prehistoric bony fish
References
- A remarkable new genus of Tetraodontiform fish with features of both Balistids and Ostraciids from the Eocene of Turkmenistan (contains a brief discussion and description of Spinacanthidae)
- ^ a b Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2009-02-27.