Chondrosteidae

Chondrosteidae /ˌkɒndroʊstiˈaɪdiː/ is a family of extinct marine actinopterygian fishes, known from the Early Jurassic of Europe. They are closely related to modern sturgeons and paddlefish of the order Acipenseriformes, and are either placed as part of that order^[3] or the separate order Chondrosteiformes within the Chondrostei.^[4] Three genera are known, Chondrosteus, Gyrosteus, and Strongylosteus.^[5] Included species were of large size, with body lengths ranging from 2 metres (6.6 ft) up to 7 metres (23 ft). Their skeleton was largely made up of bones (unlike living chondrosteans), but ossification was reduced compared to other ray-fins.^[6]

Chondrosteidae Temporal range: Sinemurian to Toarcian[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Skeleton of Strongylosteus hindenburgi
Skeletal reconstruction of Chondrosteus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Subclass:	Chondrostei
Order:	†Chondrosteiformes Aldinger, 1937
Family:	†Chondrosteidae Egerton, 1858
Included genera
†Chondrosteus[2] Egerton, 1858 (ex Agassiz, 1834) †Gyrosteus[2] Woodward, 1889 (ex Agassiz, 1834) †Strongylosteus Jaekel, 1931

Fossil of Chondrosteus acipenseroides from Lyme Regis

Strongylosteus hindenburgi fossil from Posidonia Shale, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart

See also

• Paleontology portal
• fish portal

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish