Martinichthys is an extinct genus of plethodid fish from the Cretaceous of North America.[1][2] It is known from the Niobrara Chalk, in which it is exceedingly rare.[3] It is named after one H. T. Martin, who collected the most complete specimen at the time of description.[2]

Martinichthys
Temporal range: Coniacian, 87 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tselfatiiformes
Family: Plethodidae
Genus: Martinichthys
McClung, 1926
Species
  • M. brevis McClung, 1926
  • M. ziphioides (Cope, 1877)

Two species are known, the short-snouted M. brevis and the long-snouted M. ziphioides; multiple other species previously described have been synonymized with M. ziphioides.[4] With its long rostrum, the genus shows notable morphological convergence with modern billfish and the co-occurring pachycormid fish Protosphyraena, although not to the extent of its close relative, Rhamphoichthys.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  2. ^ a b McClung, C. E. (1926). ""Martinichthys"-A New Genus of Cretaceous Fish from Kansas, with Descriptions of Six New Species". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 65 (5): 20–26. ISSN 0003-049X. JSTOR 984285.
  3. ^ "Martinichthys, mystery fish of the Smoky Hill Chalk". oceansofkansas.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  4. ^ Taverne, Louis (2000-01-01). "Révision du genre Martinichthys, poisson marin (Teleostei, Tselfatiiformes) du Crétacé supérieur du Kansas (États-Unis)". Géobios. 33 (2): 211–222. Bibcode:2000Geobi..33..211T. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(00)80018-2.
  5. ^ El Hossny, Tamara; Cavin, Lionel; Kaplan, Ulrich; Schwermann, Achim H.; Samankassou, Elias; Friedman, Matt (2023). "The first articulated skeletons of enigmatic Late Cretaceous billfish-like actinopterygians". Royal Society Open Science. 10 (12): 231296. Bibcode:2023RSOS...1031296E. doi:10.1098/rsos.231296. ISSN 2054-5703. PMC 10698480. PMID 38077217.