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Amakusaichthys is an extinct genus of ichthyodectiform ray-finned fish which lived during the Late Cretaceous, known from only one species A. goshouraensis. Fossils are known from Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan.[1]
| Amakusaichthys Temporal range: Santonian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reconstruction | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Ichthyodectiformes |
| Family: | †Bardackichthyidae |
| Genus: | †Amakusaichthys Yabumoto et al. 2018 |
| Species: | †A. goshouraensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Amakusaichthys goshouraensis Yabumoto et al. 2018 | |
Fossils were discovered in 2012 from construction site in Goshoura, Amakusa.[2] This site is later considered to belong to Hinoshima Formation of the Himenoura Group.[1] It was the first discovery of marine ichthyodectform fish described from Asia in detail, while other ichthyodectiform fish from Asia (three genera belong to Chuhsiungichthyidae) are from non-marine environment.[1][2]
Amakusaichthys is relatively small ichthyodectiform with length around 60 cm (24 in). It is characterized by its long snout and small mouth and teeth.[1] Multiple specimens are found overlapped in one place, suggesting its schooling ecology.[2][3]
Amakusaichthys was not assigned to any family in original description. However, characters suggested that it was related to Heckelichthys.[1] In 2021, it was assigned to Bardackichthyidae, alongside Heckelichthys and Bardackichthys.[4]
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