Aspidorhynchus
| Aspidorhynchus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Fossil of Aspidorhynchus sanzenbacheri | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Aspidorhynchiformes |
| Family: | †Aspidorhynchidae |
| Genus: | †Aspidorhynchus Agassiz, 1833 |
| Species | |
| |
Aspidorhynchus (from Greek: ᾰ̓σπίς aspís 'shield' and Greek: ῥύγχος rhúnkhos 'snout') is an extinct genus of predatory ray-finned fish from the Middle to Late Jurassic. Fossils have been found in Europe, Antarctica and the Caribbean.
Aspidorhynchus was a slender, fast-swimming fish, some species reach 85 centimetres (2.79 ft) long, with tooth-lined, elongated jaws. It also had heavy scales and a symmetrical tail. The upper jaw was longer than the lower jaw, ending in a toothless spike. Although it would have looked superficially similar to the present day gars, it was not related to them, belonging to the Aspidorhynchiformes, an extinct group of fish noted for their elongated rostrums. Aspidorhynchiformes are generally considered early relatives of teleosts.