Serenoichthys

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Infraclassis: Cladistia
Ordo: Polypteriformes

Family: Polypteridae
Genus: Serenoichthys
Species: †S. kemkemensis
Name

†Serenoichthys Dutheil, 1999

Type species: †Serenoichthys kemkemensis Dutheil, 1999

References

Dutheil, D.B. 1999. The first articulated fossil cladistian: Serenoichthys kemkemensis, gen. et sp. nov., from the Cretaceous of Morocco. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(2): 243–246.

Links

Serenoichthys – Taxon details on Fossilworks.
Serenoichthys is an extinct genus of small polypterid from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of southeastern Morocco.[1] The genus is monotypic, the type and only species being Serenoichthys kemkemensis.[2] Only known at first from postcranial skeletons, complete specimens were later discovered,[3] revealing the unique skull shape among polypterids.
Etymology

The generic name Serenoichthys (Sereno's fish) was given after the leader of the team responsible for the discovery, Paul C. Sereno. The species name, kemkemensis, refers to the Kem Kem locality in Morocco where the fossils were discovered.[1]
Description

Serenoichthys was comparatively small, with the fossils discovered reaching at most 5 cm (2.0 in) in length. In comparaison, the contemporary polypterid Bawitius could reach up to 300 cm (9.8 ft).

Its skull shape was unusual for polypterids.
References

Dutheil, Didier (June 1999). "The first articulated fossil cladistian: Serenoichthys Kemkemensis, gen. et sp. nov., from the Cretaceous of Morocco". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (19): 243–246. doi:10.1080/02724634.1999.10011138. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=255188
Ibrahim, Nizar; Paul C., Sereno (21 April 2020). "Geology and paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of eastern Morocco". ZooKeys (928): 73–75. doi:10.3897/zookeys.928.47517. Retrieved 18 September 2022.