Xiphiorhynchus is an extinct genus of prehistoric swordfish that lived from the Eocene until the Oligocene.[1] Unlike the modern swordfish, both the upper and lower jaws of Xiphiorhynchus were extended into blade-like points.
| Xiphiorhynchus Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Artist's restoration of X. rotundus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Carangiformes |
| Family: | Xiphiidae |
| Genus: | †Xiphiorhynchus Van Beneden, 1871 |
| Species | |
Distribution
editFossils of Xiphiorhynchus have been found in:[2]
- Eocene
- La Meseta Formation, Antarctica
- London Clay, Selsey and Elmore Formations, England
- Yazoo Formation, Louisiana
- Moodys Branch Formation, Mississippi
- Castle Hayne Formation, North Carolina
- Oligocene
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Fierstine, Harry L. (2006). "Fossil History of Billfishes (Xiphioidei)". Bulletin of Marine Science.
- ^ Xiphiorhynchus at Fossilworks.org
External links
edit | This article about a prehistoric ray-finned fish is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |