Eodiaphyodus is a genus of Elopiform fish that is classified in the suborder Albuloidea. It is known from Late Cretaceous sediments across Africa,[1] and it crushed its food with bony plates found in the back of its throat. The type species is E. granulosus and it was named and described in 1952.[2]

Eodiaphyodus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, Campanian–Maastrichtian
Tooth plate of E. granulosus from Morocco
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Elopiformes
Genus: Eodiaphyodus
Arambourg, 1952
Species:
E. granulosus
Binomial name
Eodiaphyodus granulosus
Arambourg, 1952

The oldest known specimens of Eodiaphyodus were found in Campanian rocks in Angola and Nigeria,[2] and it is believed that the genus originated in this part of Africa before dispersing northwards (via the Atlantic coast of West Africa or via the trans-Saharan seaway) to reach northwestern Africa by the Maastrichtian.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Vullo, Romain; Courville, Philippe (2014). "Fish remains (Elasmobranchii, Actinopterygii) from the Late Cretaceous of the Benue Trough, Nigeria". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 97: 194–206. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2014.04.016. ISSN 1464-343X.
  2. ^ a b Arambourg, C., (1952). Les vertébrés fossiles des gisements de phosphates (Maroc – Algérie – Tunisie). Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique du Maroc 92, 1– 805 372.