Belonostomus
| Belonostomus Temporal range: Possible Paleocene record
| |
|---|---|
| Specimen of B. kochi, Jura Museum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Aspidorhynchiformes |
| Family: | †Aspidorhynchidae |
| Genus: | †Belonostomus Agassiz, 1834 |
| Type species | |
| †Aspidorhynchus tenuirostris Agassiz, 1833
| |
| Species | |
|
30+, see text | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Diphyodus | |
Belonostomus is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish in the order Aspidorhynchiformes. Fossils have been found in marine areas, although some species are known from freshwater habitats.
Usually, it fed on plankton or other tiny fish, but one fossil was found devouring a Homoeosaurus as stomach contents.
Description
Belonostomus, like all aspidorhyncheans, has a pointy rostrum. However, it is thinner compared to other genera like the almost identical Aspidorhynchus. It possesses a long body.
Gallery
References
- Bryant, Laurie J. (1987). "Belonostomus (Teleostei: Aspidorhynchidae) from the Late Paleocene of North Dakota" (PDF). PaleoBios. Museum of Paleontology, University of California Berkeley.