Ticinepomis

Ticinepomis is an extinct genus of coelacanth lobe-finned fish which lived during the Middle Triassic period in what is now Switzerland. It contains two species, T. peyeri and T. ducanensis.^[2]

Ticinepomis Temporal range: Lower Ladinian, 240.91 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Fossil
Reconstruction
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinistia
Order:	Coelacanthiformes
Suborder:	Latimerioidei
Family:	Latimeriidae
Genus:	†Ticinepomis Rieppel, 1980
Type species
†Ticinepomis peyeri Rieppel, 1980
Other species
†T. ducanensis Ferrante, Furrer, Martini et Cavin, 2023

Marine life of the Early and early Middle Triassic: Ticinepomis (13)^[1]

Specimens of the species T. peyeri, which was named after Bernhard Peyer, are most common in the Besano Formation (or Grenzbitumenzone) of Monte San Giorgio in canton Ticino.^[3] Other coelacanths from Monte San Giorgio include a larger species (tentatively referred to Holophagus picenus) from the Besano Formation,^[4] and a species of Heptanema from the Meride Limestone.^[5]

Larger Ticinepomis specimens have been found in the Prosanto Formation of canton Graubünden, originally referred to as Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri.^[6] A revision showed that this material belongs to a new species, T. ducanensis, remains of which were also discovered in the Besano Formation of canton Ticino.^[2] The Prosanto Formation also produced the unusual coelacanths Foreyia and Rieppelia.

Classification

Ticinepomis was originally described as being a member of the family Coelacanthidae, being similar to Coelacanthus, Holophagus and Undina.^[3] Later, T. peyeri was placed in Latimeriidae.^[6] The bizarre Prosanto Formation latimeriid Foreyia is thought to be T. peyeri's closest relative, as they share many features despite their drastically contrasting appearances.^[7]