Moythomasia (named for James Alan Moy-Thomas)[1] is an extinct genus of early ray-finned fish from the Devonian period of Europe and Australia.

Moythomasia
Temporal range: Middle Devonian–Late Devonian
Moythomasia nitida Gross 1953 from the Devonian (Givetian) of Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Moythomasiidae
Kazantseva, 1971
Genus: Moythomasia
Gross, 1950 non Whitley, 1951
Species
  • M. devonica (Clarke, 1885)
  • M. durgaringa Gardiner & Bartram, 1977
  • M. lineata Choo, 2015
  • M. nitida Gross, 1953
  • M. perforata (Gross, 1942)
Synonyms
  • Aldingeria Gross, 1942 non Moy-Thomas, 1942

Moythomasia was a small freshwater fish, 9 centimetres (3.5 in) long. It had relatively large eyes, presumably to find prey in murky water. Its body was covered in specialized ganoid scales; the upper side of each scale sported a small pin that perfectly fit into the hollow lower side of the next scale. This allowed the fish to be both armored and flexible.[2]

Species

edit
  • M. devonica (Clarke, 1885) [Palaeoniscus devonicus Clarke, 1885; Rhadinichthys devonicus (Clarke, 1885)]
  • M. durgaringa Gardiner & Bartram, 1977
  • M. lineata Choo, 2015
  • M. nitida Gross, 1953
  • M. perforata (Gross, 1942) [Aldingeria perforata Gross, 1942]

References

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  1. ^ Alexander, R. McNeill (1975). The chordates. London; New York : Cambridge University Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-0-521-20472-9.
  2. ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 35. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.