Coccoderma

Extinct genus of fishes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coccoderma

Coccoderma is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine coelacanth which lived during the Late Jurassic period.[1] Fossils have been found in Germany and France.[2] It was small in size, about 27.5 cm. They had very long and sharp teeth.

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...
Coccoderma
Temporal range: Kimmeridgian to Tithonian
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Specimen of C. suevicum
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Sarcopterygii
Class: Actinistia
Family: Laugiidae
Genus: Coccoderma
Quenstdedt, 1858
Type species
Coccoderma suevicum
Quenstdedt, 1858
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Kokkoderma Quenstedt, 1858 (original spelling)
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It was one of the earliest coelacanths to be properly studied by science.[3] It lived far later than other members of its family (Laugiidae), which otherwise only existed during the Early Triassic, thus leaving an exceptional ghost lineage of over 100 million years. It was the last surviving member of the non-latimerioid coelacanths (e.g. coelacanths outside of Latimeriidae and Mawsoniidae).[4]

Species

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C. bavaricum

An indeterminate species is known from the Tithonian-aged Canjuers Lagerstätte of France, which was previously thought to be from the earliest Cretaceous (Berriasian).[6][7][3] The species C. nudum likely represents an immature C. suevicum. The species C. bavaricum and C. gigas may not belong to this genus.[5][3] The species C. substriolatum from England has been reclassified as a mawsoniid, and tentatively to Trachymetopon.[8]

References

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