Platysomus
Extinct genus of fishes / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Platysomus (from Greek: πλατύς platys, 'broad' and Greek: σῶμα sôma 'body')[1] is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish that lived in the Carboniferous and Permian periods. Fossils have been found worldwide.
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...
Platysomus | |
---|---|
Platysomus gibbosus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | †Platysomiformes |
Family: | †Platysomidae |
Genus: | †Platysomus Agassiz, 1833 |
Type species | |
†Platysomus striatus Agassiz, 1833 | |
Other species | |
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Close
Platysomus was about 18 centimetres (7.1 in) long, and shaped similarly to the discus fish, having the same flattened body and elongated dorsal and anal fins. Its jaws were placed vertically under the braincase, giving it a wide gape. Platysomus is thought to have fed on plankton, and lived in both fresh and salt water.[2]