Agassizodontidae

Agassizodontidae
Temporal range: 360–251Ma

Early Carboniferous to Permian

outdated reconstruction of Helicoprion bessonovi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Holocephali
Order: †Eugeneodontida
Family: Agassizodontidae
Zangerl, 1981
Genera

Agassizodontidae (Ancient Greek for Teeth of Louis Agassiz) is an extinct, poorly known family of bizarre holocephalids within the poorly studied order Eugeneodontida. Also commonly known as whorltooths, members of Agassizodontidae possessed a unique "tooth-whorl" on the symphysis of the lower jaw as well as pectoral fins supported by long radials.[1] The closest living relatives of Eugeneodontida are the ratfishes. The tooth-whorl was different amongst genus and species, some possessing complete spirals (such as those of Helicoprion), others possessing halved spirals (seen in Parahelicoprion), and some with wedged half-spirals (seen in Sarcoprion). Each tooth-whorl is thought to be adapted to a different type of prey, and a different predation strategy.[2]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sdaos.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/2002/81-92.pdf
  2. ↑ Fishes and the Break-up of Pangaea edited by Lionel Cavin, A. E. Longbottom, Martha Richter (1825)

External links