Calamopleurus

Calamopleurus is a prehistoric genus of marine halecomorph ray-finned fish from the Early Cretaceous of South America and northern Africa. It was a relative of the modern bowfin, with both belonging to the family Amiidae. C. cylindricus was among the largest known amiids, rivaling the giant Paleocene bowfin Amia pattersoni in size. However, both were slightly smaller than Melvius and Amia basiloides, the two largest known amiids. It is one of the earliest known amiids to evolve a large body size.

Taxonomy

It is thought Calamopleurus is a sister genus to Maliamia, the last surviving member of the vidalamiines, which is the largely marine amiid group that also contained Calamopleurus. Both are placed in the tribe Calamopleurini.

The genus contains three species:

• †C. africanus Forey & Grande, 1998 - Late Albian/Early Cenomanian of Morocco and Algeria
• †C. cylindricus Agassiz, 1841 - Late Aptian/Early Albian of Brazil (Crato and Santana Formations)
• †C. mawsoni Woodward, 1902 - Late Hauterivian/Early Barremian of Brazil (Bahia Group)

Calamopleurus africanus

This species lived in southern Morocco and Algeria during the Cretaceous period in the late Albian and early Cenomanian. It was described from fragmentary remains in the Kem Kem beds. Ossified dermopterotic ribs were inferred from a loose association between the dermosphenotic and the roof of the skull.

File:Calamopleurus with Vinctifer lodged in pharynx (cropped).jpg

Cast of C. cylindricus with Vinctifer lodged in the pharynx.

File:Calamopleurus e Rhacolepis.jpg

Fossil of Calamopleurus eating Rhacolepis

References

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