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
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Sarcopterygii
Class:	Porolepimorpha
Order:	†Porolepiformes
Family:	†Holoptychiidae
Genus:	†Holoptychius Agassiz 1839
Type species
Holoptychius nobilissimus
Species
H. americanus H. andersoni H. flemingi H. giganteus H. halli H. hopkinsii H. nobilissimus H. quebecensis

Holoptychius (from Greek: όλος holos, 'whole' and Greek: πτυχή ptyche 'fold')^[1] 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.^[2]

Description

Holoptychius was a 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.^[3][4] 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:^[2]

• H. americanus
• H. andersoni
• H. bergmanni (Downs et al, 2013) from the Frasnian-aged Fram Formation of Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada^[5]
• H. flemingi
• H. giganteus
• H. halli
• H. hopkinsii
• H. nobilissimus
• H. quebecensis^{[citation needed]}
• H. sp. indet. from the Kennebecasis Formation of New Brunswich, Canada.^[6]
• H. sp. indet. from the Cuche Formation of Colombia, known from an isolated tooth (UN-DG-PALV86) and preserved scales (UN-DG-PALV50-51).^[7]

Distribution

Fossils of Holoptychius have been found in the Mississippian of the United Kingdom and the Devonian of Belgium, Colombia (Cuche Formation, Boyacá),^[8][7] Norway, Canada,^[5][6] the Russian Federation, and the United States (Pennsylvania).^[9]

Gallery

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

References

Bibliography

• Janvier, Philippe; Villarroel A, Carlos (1998). "Los Peces Devónicos del Macizo de Floresta (Boyacá, Colombia). Consideraciones taxonómicas, bioestratigráficas, biogeográficas y ambientales". Geología Colombiana. 23: 3–18. Retrieved 2017-03-31.

Media related to Holoptychius at Wikimedia Commons

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Dipnomorpha

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Sarcopterygii Clade: Rhipidistia
Gnathostomata see Gnathostomata Dipnomorpha see below↓ Dipnomorpha

Dipnomorpha	†Arquatichthys †Powichthys †Youngolepis? †Porolepiformes Durialepis Hamodus Heimenia Porolepis Quebecius Holoptychiidae Duffichthys? Glyptolepis Holoptychius Laccognathus Pseudosauripterus Ventalepis? Dipnoi †Ctenodus †Conchopoma †Diabolepis †Dianodipterus †Eoctenodus †Gosfordia †Ichnomylax †Iranorhynchus †Isityumzi †Janvierpaucidentes †Megapleuron †Oervigia †Orlovichthys †Powichthys? †Proceratodus †Rhinodipterus †Sagenodus †Straitonia †Tarachomylax †Tranodis †Westollrhynchus †Uranolophidae Melanognathus Uranolophus †Dipnorhynchidae Dipnorhynchus Ganorhynchus Speonesydrion †Stomiahykidae Archaeonectes Stomiahykus †Chirodipteridae Chirodipterus Gogodipterus Palaedaphus Pillararhynchus Sorbitorhynchus Sunwapta †Holodontidae Asthenorhynchus Griphognathus Holodipterus Iowadipterus Robinsondipterus Xeradipterus †Dipteridae Amadeodipterus Conchodus Dipterus Howidipterus †Fleurantiidae Barwickia Fleurantia †Rhynchodipteridae Rhynchodipterus Soederberghia †Phaneropleuridae Andreyevichthys Nielsenia Phaneropleuron Pentlandia Scaumenacia †Uronemidae Ganopristodus Uronemus Ceratodontoidei †Ferganoceratodus †Paraceratodus †Ptychoceratodus Neoceratodontidae †Archaeoceratodus †Asiatoceratodus †Mioceratodus Neoceratodus †Ceratodontidae Arganodus Ariguna Ceratodus Epiceratodus Lupaceratodus Metaceratodus Microceratodus? Potamoceratodus Retodus Tellerodus †Gnathorhizidae Beltanodus Gnathorhiza Microceratodus? Monongahela Namatozodia Palaeophichthys? Persephonichthys Lepidosirenidae Lepidosiren Protopterus

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