Kingdom Animalia Family Pholidophoridae Rank Genus | Class Actinopterygii Phylum Chordata Order Pachycormiformes | |
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Similar Leptolepis, Dapedium, Caturus, Thrissops, Hypsocormus | ||
Stigmatochromis pholidophorus namitumbu
Pholidophorus is an extinct genus of teleost fish from the Triassic and Jurassic periods of Africa, Europe, and South America.
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Pholidophorus was a herring-like fish about 40 centimetres (16 in) long, although it was not closely related to modern herring. Like them, however, it had a single dorsal fin, a symmetrical tail, and an anal fin placed towards the rear of the body. It had large eyes and was probably a fast-swimming predator, hunting planktonic crustaceans and smaller fish.
A very early teleost, Pholidophorus had many primitive characteristics such as ganoid scales and a spine that was partially composed of cartilage, rather than bone.
Stigmatochromis pholidophorus
A contrary view
According to T.S. Kemp, "a single species of fish from the Jurassic, Pholidophorus bechii, is thought to be the sister-group" of all fossil and living teleosts.