| Protopsephurus | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Fossil ofP.liui,Tianjin Natural History Museum | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acipenseriformes |
| Family: | Polyodontidae |
| Subfamily: | †Protopsephurinae |
| Genus: | †Protopsephurus Lu, 1994 |
| Species: | †P. liui |
| Binomial name | |
| †Protopsephurus liui Lu, 1994 | |
Protopsephurus is an extinctgenus ofpaddlefish containing the single speciesProtopsephurus liui, known from theYixian,Jiufotang andHuajiying formations inLiaoning, northernChina from theBarremian toAptian ages of theEarly Cretaceous period around 125-120 million years ago.[1][2] It is currently the oldest and mostbasal paddlefish known.
The species is known from numerous specimens ranging up to about 80 cm (31 in) long. The snout is shorter than that in any other known paddlefish, and is moresturgeon-like. The morphology of the skull roof is also more archaic than any other paddlefish. Theaxial skeleton is poorly ossified. Like other extinct polyodontids, it also has tiny non-interlocking scales approximately 1 mm in diameter calleddenticles that cover the trunk, which bear a fringe of spikes.[3]
Protopsephurus is thought to have beenpiscivorous, feeding on smaller fish. One adult specimen ofProtopsephurus has been observed with a specimen ofLycoptera, the most common fish in the formation, preserved in its stomach. Piscivory is likely the ancestral ecology of paddlefish, with only the genusPolyodon making the transition to beingplanktivorous filter feeders.[3]
The name comes from Ancient Greek words "protos" (first) and "psepharos" (cloudy/gloomy one). However the name also translates to "first pebble bearer" from the words "psephus" (pebble) and "phorus" (holder), commonly spelled as "psephurus".Eduard von Martens, a German zoologist and the first person to describe its living relative theChinese Paddlefish, did not provide a definition on the meaning of the binomial name.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
.png) | This orderAcipenseriformes (Sturgeon andPaddlefish) related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
.jpg) | ThisChondrostei-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | This article about aprehistoricbony fish is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
.jpg)
