Apateodus Explained

Apateodus (meaning "confusing tooth") is a genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish which was described by Woodward in 1901. It was a relative of modern lizardfish and lancetfish in the order Aulopiformes, and one of a number of prominent nektonic aulopiforms of Cretaceous marine ecosystems.[1] [2]

The genus spans from the Albian to the late Maastrichtian, and appears to have been distributed worldwide; specimens have been found in Russia, India, the United States (Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas), Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Taxonomy

Apateodus has generally been placed in the suborder Enchodontoidei alongside most other Cretaceous nektonic aulopiforms, although its affinities have long been uncertain. However, since the 2000s, it has generally been placed in the family Ichthyotringidae.[3] [4] However, some authors have still placed it as an indeterminate enchodontoid, ichthyotringoid, alepisauroid, or even elsewhere in the Aulopiformes as the sister to the barracudinas, the latter two of which have been contradicted by anatomical studies.[5] [6] [7]

The following species are known:

Indeterminate remains are known from Canada (Alberta), Russia (Belgorod), and the United States (Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota). A potential undescribed genus closely allied to Apateodus was identified in 2020 from fossils from Kansas.[11]

Description

Known by well preserved skull remains, Apateodus is estimated to be around 1 meter (3.3ft) in length, and would have been an effective mesopredator.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: PBDB . 2024-02-22 . paleobiodb.org.
  2. Newbrey . Michael G. . Konishi . Takuya . 2015-05-04 . A new lizardfish (Teleostei, Aulopiformes) from the Late Cretaceous Bearpaw Formation of Alberta, Canada, with a revised diagnosis of Apateodus (Aulopiformes, Ichthyotringoidei) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . en . 35 . 3 . e918042 . 10.1080/02724634.2014.918042 . 2015JVPal..35E8042N . 0272-4634.
  3. Silva . Hilda M. A. . Gallo . Valéria . June 2011. Taxonomic review and phylogenetic analysis of Enchodontoidei (Teleostei: Aulopiformes) . Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências . en . 83 . 2 . 483–511 . 10.1590/S0001-37652011000200010 . 21670874 . 0001-3765.
  4. Fielitz . Christopher . Shimada . Kenshu . 2009-09-12 . A new species of Apateodus (Teleostei: Aulopiformes) from the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of Western Kansas, U.S.A. . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . en . 29 . 3 . 650–658 . 10.1671/039.029.0308 . 2009JVPal..29..650F . 0272-4634.
  5. Near . Thomas J . Thacker . Christine E . 18 April 2024 . Phylogenetic classification of living and fossil ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) . Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History . 65 . 10.3374/014.065.0101 . free.
  6. Web site: Chida . Mori . Fall 2022 . A new species of dercetid and the assessment of the phylogeny of the Enchodontoidei (Teleostei: Aulopiformes) . 2024-02-22 . ERA . 10.7939/r3-nqmz-nf15 . en.
  7. Schwarzhans . Werner . Beckett . Hermione T. . Schein . Jason D. . Friedman . Matt . 2018 . Rahman . Imran . Computed tomography scanning as a tool for linking the skeletal and otolith-based fossil records of teleost fishes . Palaeontology . en . 61 . 4 . 511–541 . 10.1111/pala.12349 . 2018Palgy..61..511S . 0031-0239. 2027.42/144669 . free .
  8. SCHWARZHANS . WERNER W. . HUDDLESTON . RICHARD W. . TAKEUCHI . GARY T. . 2018-01-22 . A LATE SANTONIAN FISH-FAUNA FROM THE EUTAW FORMATION OF ALABAMA RECONSTRUCTED FROM OTOLITHS . Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research in Paleontology and Stratigraphy) . en . 124 . N. 1 (2018) . 10.13130/2039-4942/9624.
  9. Stringer . Gary L. . Schwarzhans . Werner . Phillips . George . Lambert . Roger . 2020-02-05 . HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED LATE CRETACEOUS FISH ASSEMBLAGE REVEALED BY OTOLITHS (RIPLEY FORMATION AND OWL CREEK FORMATION, NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI, USA) . Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia . en . 126 . 1 . 10.13130/2039-4942/13013 . 2039-4942.
  10. Amalfitano . Jacopo . Giusberti . Luca . Fornaciari . Eliana . Carnevale . Giorgio . 2020-04-03 . UPPER CENOMANIAN FISHES FROM THE BONARELLI LEVEL (OAE2) OF NORTHEASTERN ITALY . Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia . en . 126 . 2 . 10.13130/2039-4942/13224 . 2039-4942.
  11. Fielitz . Christopher . Shimada . Kenshu . 2020 . A Possible Undescribed Aulopiform Fish Allied to the Genus Apateodus from the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of Kansas, U.S.A. . Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science . 123 . 3–4 . 435–440 . 10.1660/062.123.0313 . 0022-8443.

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