Mioplosus

Mioplosus Temporal range: Early- Middle Eocene[1] PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Mioplosus labracoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Infraphylum:	Gnathostomata
Superclass:	Osteichthyes
Genus:	Mioplosus

Mioplosus is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived from the early to middle Eocene.^[1]

Very similar to today's perch, the Mioplosus is distinguished by its double dorsal fin and pointed teeth. It is thought to have been a solitary predator often attacking fish up to half of its own size. Mioplosus range from 2 to 20 inches but anything over 16 inches is very rare.

This 50 million year old, Eocene-Era fossil fish comes from one of the world's famous Laggerstatten, the Green River Formation in Wyoming. A small portion of the fish fossils from Green River exhibits such fine preservation.

Mioplosus labracoides is believed to have been a voracious predator among the Green River fish fossils. Failure to find its numbers in mass mortality leads to further conjecture that it was a solitary hunter. A member of the Family Percidae, it has numerous relatives in Northern Hemisphere fresh water as well as fossil relatives in Asia, Europe and New Zealand. It is known as a predatory species as determined from its many pointed teeth, and the fact that several have been found with fish lodged in its throat. It may be related to the modern-day pike of the genus Stezostedion.

Distinguishing features include double dorsal fins and a fan-like tail. Mioplosus is uncommon in the Green River formation, especially the fish of this size.

See also

	Paleontology portal
	Fish portal

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: p.560. http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class. Retrieved 2009-02-27.