Amazichthys is an extinct genus of selenosteid arthrodire from the Middle Famennian of the Late Devonian of the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It contains a single species, Amazichthys trinajsticae. It is one of a few example of placoderm known from whole body shape, including cartilaginous axial and fin elements.[1]

Amazichthys
Temporal range: Famennian
Holotype specimen AA.MEM.DS.8 (A and B), and paratype PIMUZ A/I 4773 (C, D)
Life reconstruction
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Placodermi
Order: Arthrodira
Suborder: Brachythoraci
Family: Selenosteidae
Genus: Amazichthys
Jobbins et al, 2022
Species:
A. trinajsticae
Binomial name
Amazichthys trinajsticae
Jobbins et al, 2022

Description

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Amazichthys had a profile similar to that of fast-moving pelagic fishes, with lateral keels for stability, and a lunate caudal fin, suggesting it could reach and maintain high speed.[1] The holotype, AA.MEM.DS.8, is 89.7 cm (35.3 in) long.[1][2]

Etymology

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Amazichthys trinajsticae was named after the North African ethnic group Amazigh (Berbers), and Australian palaeontologist Kate Trinajstic.[1]

Taxonomy

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Amazichthys is part of Selenosteidae, a family inside the clade Aspinothoracidi, inside of Pachyosteomorphi, along with Dunkleosteoidea.

The cladogram shown here is based on Jobbins et al, 2022.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jobbins, Melina; Rücklin, Martin; Ferrón, Humberto G.; Klug, Christian (2022). "A new selenosteid placoderm from the Late Devonian of the eastern Anti-Atlas (Morocco) with preserved body outline and its ecomorphology". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10. doi:10.3389/fevo.2022.969158. hdl:10550/85583. ISSN 2296-701X.
  2. ^ Engelman, Russell K. (2023). "A Devonian Fish Tale: A New Method of Body Length Estimation Suggests Much Smaller Sizes for Dunkleosteus terrelli (Placodermi: Arthrodira)". Diversity. 15 (3). 318. doi:10.3390/d15030318.