Leptolepis

Leptolepis

Taxobox
name = "Leptolepis"
status = fossil



image_caption = "Leptolepis koonwarriensis"
fossil_range = Mid Triassic to Early Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Pachycormiformes
familia = Leptolepidae
genus = "Leptolepis"

"Leptolepis" ("Delicate Scale") is an extinct genus of teleost ray-finned fish that lived in the Mesozoic era. It was about 30 cm (1 ft) long and one of the first teleosts.

"Leptolepis" was the first true bony fish to really live up to the name, possessing a skeleton completely made of bone (previous genera such as "Pholidophorus" had skeletons only partially composed of bone). Another modern development in "Leptolepis" were its scales, which lacked the covering still present in previous genera. These two developments made swimming easier, as the bony spine was now more resistant to the pressure caused by the S movements made while swimming. Mass graves of "Leptolepis" have indicated that it probably lived in schools which would provide some protection from predators while the creatures fed on surface plankton. "Pelagosaurus" was a known predator of "Leptolepis" after a "Pelagosaurus" fossil was found with "Leptolepis" remains in its stomach.

"Leptolepis" may have resembled the herring.


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  • Leptolepis —   [griechisch lepís »Schuppe«], ausgestorbene, vom Jura bis zur Kreide bekannte Gattung primitiver, sprottenförmiger Echter Knochenfische (Teleostei); mit vollständig verknöchertem Skelett und Zykloidschuppen mit dünnem Ganoinbelag; Vorkommen z.… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Leptolepis — ▪ paleontology       genus of marine fishes very closely related to the first teleosts, the dominant group of fishes in the world today. Leptolepis was abundant in the world s Mesozoic seas and was herringlike in size and appearance. Fragmentary… …   Universalium

  • leptolepis —   Gk leptos, narrow; lepis, scale. Lemmas narrow lanceolate …   Etymological dictionary of grasses

  • leptolepis — lep·tol·e·pis …   English syllables

  • leptolepis — lepˈtäləpə̇s noun Usage: capitalized Etymology: New Latin, from lept + lepis : a genus (the type of the family Leptolepidae) of primitive clupeoid fishes that includes numerous small thin scaled fishes with the tail nearly homocercal …   Useful english dictionary

  • Selaroides leptolepis — Selar à bande dorée …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Selaroides leptolepis — Selar à bande dorée Selaroides leptolepi …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nibea leptolepis —   Nibea leptolepis Clasificación científica Reino …   Wikipedia Español

  • Selaroides leptolepis —   Selaroides leptolepis Clasificación científica Reino …   Wikipedia Español

  • Selaroides leptolepis — Научная классификация промежуточные ранги Домен:  …   Википедия

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