Aspidorhynchus

Taxobox
name = "Aspidorhynchus"

---

image_caption="Aspidorhynchus acustirostris"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Mid Jurassic to Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
infraphylum = Gnathostomata
superclassis = Osteichthyes
ordo = Aspidorhynchiformes
ordo_authority=Bleeker, 1859
familia = Aspidorhynchidae
familia_authority=Bleeker, 1859
genus = "Aspidorhynchus"

"Aspidorhynchus" (meaning "shield snout") is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. It was about 60 cm (2 ft) long.

It was a long, fast-swimming fish with tooth-lined, elongated jaws. The upper jaw was longer than the lower jaw, ending in a toothless spike. "Aspidorhynchus" looked superficially similar to the present day gar genus "Lepisosteus". Its closest living relative is the bowfin.

"Aspidorhynchus" includes the extinct species "Aspidorhynchus acustirostris".

References

http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=35239&is_real_user=1