| Aspidorhynchus Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Late Cretaceous |
|
|---|---|
| Aspidorhynchus acustirostris | |
| Conservation status | |
|
Fossil
|
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum: | Gnathostomata |
| Superclass: | Osteichthyes |
| Order: | Aspidorhynchiformes Bleeker, 1859 |
| Family: | Aspidorhynchidae Bleeker, 1859 |
| Genus: | Aspidorhynchus |
| Species: | A. acustirostris |
Aspidorhynchus (meaning "shield snout") is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Fossils have been found in Europe and Antarctica.
Aspidorhynchus was a slender, fast-swimming fish, 60 centimetres (2.0 ft) long, with tooth-lined, elongated jaws. It also had heavy scales and a symmetrical tail. The upper jaw was longer than the lower jaw, ending in a toothless spike. Although it would have looked superficially similar to the present day gar, its closest living relative is actually the bowfin.[1]