Hypsidoris

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Hypsidoris Fossil range: Early Middle Eocene - Middle Eocene
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Superorder: Ostariophysi Order: Siluriformes Superfamily: Hypsidoroidea Family: Hypsidoridae Grande, 1987 Genus: Hypsidoris Lundberg & Case, 1970
Type species
Hypsidoris farsonensis Lundberg & Case, 1970
Binomial name
Hypsidoris farsonensis Lundberg & Case, 1970 Hypsidoris oregonensis Grande & de Pinna, 1998

Hypsidoris is an extinct genus of catfish, classified within its own family Hypsidoridae, from the Eocene period. It was about 20 cm (8 in) long.^{[citation needed]}

Hypsidoris looked very similar to the modern catfish, also possessing sensitive barbels used to detect prey in murky waters. It also had a vibration-sensitive organ called the Weberian apparatus, which consisted of specialized vertebrae at the front of the spinal column which passed vibrations to the inner ear, using the swim bladder as a resonance chamber. For defense against predators, Hypsidoris had large spines at the front of each pectoral fin.^{[citation needed]}

There are two species. H. farsonensis is from the Early Middle Eocene of Wyoming and H. oregonensis is from the Middle Eocene of Oregon.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ Nelson, Joseph S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-25031-7.