Cyclopoma Explained

Cyclopoma (from Greek, Modern (1453-);: κύκλος, 'circular' and Greek, Modern (1453-);: πῶμᾰ 'cover')^[1] is an extinct genus of marine perciform fish from the Eocene. It is known from the Ypresian to the Lutetian of Europe and eastern North America.^[2]

It is alternatively classified in either the Percichthyidae (which otherwise contains only species from South America and Australia) or in the Centropomidae (represented by modern snooks).^{[3] [4] [5]}

The following species are known:

• †C. folmeri Weems, 1999 - Ypresian of Virginia, USA (Nanjemoy Formation)^[6]
• †C. gigas Agassiz, 1833 - Ypresian of Monte Bolca, Italy (=Amia indica Volta, 1796, Smerdis micracanthus Agassiz, 1833)^[7]
• †C. spinosum Agassiz, 1833 - Ypresian of Monte Bolca, Italy (not recognized in more recent reviews)

An indeterminate species is known from the Lutetian-aged Lutetian limestone of France.^[8] As its name suggests, C. gigas was a large fish that could reach up to 0.5m (01.6feet) in length. It likely inhabited brackish waters close to river mouths.^[9]

It has been alleged that Louis Agassiz struggled with excavating the type specimen of C. spinosum, despite continuously studying it. For two nights, he dreamed of the specimen appearing fully restored, and on the third night, sketched his vision of the restored specimen while half-awake. When he continued preparing the fossil specimen the following day, the fully excavated specimen was allegedly found to be exactly as he had dreamed and sketched.^{[10] [11]}

See also

• List of prehistoric bony fish genera
• Prehistoric fish

Notes and References

1. Book: Roberts . George . An etymological and explanatory dictionary of the terms and language of geology . 1839 . Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans . London . 40 . 29 December 2021 . English.
2. Web site: PBDB Taxon . 2024-08-13 . paleobiodb.org.
3. Carnevale . G. . Bannikov . Alexandre F. . Marramà . G. . Tyler . James C. . Zorzin. . R. . 2014 . The Bolca Fossil-Lagerstätte: A window into the Eocene World. 5. The Pesciara- Monte Postale Fossil-Lagerstätte: 2. Fishes and other vertebrates. Excursion guide . Rendiconti della Società Paleontologica Italiana . 4 . 1 . i–xxvii . 10088/25678.
4. Petit . Gilles . 2010 . Skin nodules in fossil fishes from Monte Bolca (Eocene, Northern Italy) . Geodiversitas . en . 32 . 1 . 157–163 . 10.5252/g2010n1a5 . 1280-9659.
5. Alexander . Bannikov . 2008 . TWO NEW GENERA FOR LONG KNOWN PERCOID FISHES (PERCIFORMES) FROM THE EOCENE OF BOLCA, ITALY . Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona.
6. Book: Early Eocene vertebrates and plants from the Fisher/Sullivan site (Nanjemoy Formation) Stafford County, Virginia . 1999 . Commonwealth of Virginia, Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Mineral Resources . Weems . R. E. . Virginia Division of Mineral Resources publication . Charlottesville, Va . Grimsley . Gary J..
7. Book: Geology . British Museum (Natural History) Department of . Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum (Natural History): Actinopterygian Teleostomi of the suborders Isospondyli (in part), Ostariophysi, Apodes, Percesoces, Hemibranchii, Acanthopterygii, and Anacanthini . Woodward . Arthur Smith . 1901 . order of the Trustees . en.
8. GAUDANT . J . 1982 . DECOUVERTE DU GENRE CYCLOPOMA AGASSIZ (POISSON TELEOSTEEN, PERCOIDEI) DANS LE CALCAIRE GROSSIER D'ILE-DE-FRANCE . Decouverte du Genre Cyclopoma Agassiz (Poisson Teleosteen, Percoidei) dans le Calcaire Grossier d'Ile-De-France.
9. Andrea Papazzoni . Cesare . Trevisani . Enrico . 2006-11-24 . Facies analysis, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, and biostratigraphy of the "Pesciara di Bolca" (Verona, northern Italy): An early Eocene Fossil-Lagerstätte . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . 242 . 1 . 21–35 . 10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.05.011 . 2006PPP...242...21A . 0031-0182.
10. Duffin . Christopher J. . 2007 . Louis Agassiz (1807–1873): a passion for fishes . Geology Today . en . 23 . 4 . 132–142 . 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2007.00615.x . 2007GeolT..23..132D . 0266-6979.
11. Web site: Elizabeth Cary Agassiz, Louis Agassiz: his life and correspondence, third edition, Chapter 5: 1830-1832: Aet. 23-25. . 2024-08-13 . www.perseus.tufts.edu.