Inventory | Paleontology | Pesce volante toracottero
- Common name
- Thoracopter flying fish
- Scientific name
- Thoracopterus non identificata
- Type
- Fossil
Description
Thoracopterus (gen. Thoracopterus) is an extinct bony fish belonging to the Peltopleuriformes. It lived in the middle to upper Triassic (about 235 to 205 million years ago), and its fossil remains have been found in Europe and China. So far 5 species have been described, some with their bodies covered with scales, others completely naked.
The recent discovery of the species Thoracopterus wushaensis in southern China has expanded the geographic distribution of this flying fish by extending it to the entire area once occupied by the Tethys.
Scientific Classification
- Domain
- Eukaryota
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Osteichthyes
- Order
- Peltopleuriformes
- Family
- Peltopleuridae
- Genus
- Thoracopterus
- Species
- non identificata
- Scientific name
- Thoracopterus non identificata
Preserved specimen
The specimen lacks the caudal portion and part of the trunk; for these reasons, its species could not be attributed with certainty.
Cataloging
- SIRBeC
- 7s060-00072
