Palaeobalistum goedeli

Palaeobalistum goedeli is an extinct species of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the Cretaceous period.

Palaeobalistum goedeli Temporal range: Cretaceous PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Palaeobalistum goedeli from Lebanon. Cretaceous (abt. 95 Ma)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Pycnodontiformes
Family:	†Pycnodontidae
Genus:	†Palaeobalistum
Species:	†P. goedeli
Binomial name
†Palaeobalistum goedeli Heckel 1856
Synonyms
Nursallia goedeli (Heckel, 1854) Blot, 1987[1]

Fossils of this species have been found in Lebanon in the sediments of the Cenomanian Age (99.6 - 93.5 million years ago).^[2]

Description

Palaeobalistum goedeli can reach a length of about 220 millimetres (8.7 in) and a height of about 200 millimetres (7.9 in). Body is laterally compressed with an almost circular outline and a large snout. Teeth are columnar and thick, indicating a durophagous existence, breaking shells and crustaceans.^[2][3]