Ctenognathichthys is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Anisian and Ladinian ages of the Middle Triassic epoch in what is now southern/southeastern Switzerland and northern Italy.[1]
| Ctenognathichthys Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fossil from Monte San Giorgio | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | ?†Perleidiformes/ ?†Louwoichthyiformes |
| Genus: | †Ctenognathichthys Bürgin, 1992 |
| Type species | |
| †Heterolepidotus bellottii de Alessandri, 1910 | |
It was a small fish measuring 21 cm (8.3 in) in total length.[2] It had long long prehensile teeth in its upper and lower jaws.[3]
Occurrence
Fossils of Ctenognathichthys were recovered from the Anisian–Ladinian aged Besano Formation of Monte San Giorgio area (Swiss-Italian borderland)[3] and from the early Ladinian Prosanto Formation of canton Graubünden, Switzerland.[4] The type species is Ctenognathichthys bellottii, which was found in both collecting sites. A possible second species, Ctenognathichthys hattichi,[4] is only known from the Prosanto Formation. This species was referred to the genus Luopingichthys.[5]
Classification
Ctenognathichthys was first classified as a member of the family Perleididae and order Perleidiformes.[3] More recently, it was included in the family Louwoichthyidae (order Louwoichthyiformes).[6]
