Gooloogongia

Taxobox
name = "Gooloogongia"
fossil_range = Late Devonian


image_width = 260px
image_caption = Life restoration of "Gooloogongia loomesi"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
infraphylum = Gnathostomata
classis = Osteichthyes
subclassis = Sarcopterygii
superordo = Crossopterygii
ordo = Rhizodontida
familia = Rhizodontidae
genus = "Gooloogongia"
species = "G. loomesi"
subdivision_ranks = Binomial name
subdivision =
"Gooloogongia loomesi" Johanson & Ahlberg, 1998

"Gooloogongia" (pronEng|ɡʊlʊɡɒnɡɪə or Goo-loo-gong-ee-a) is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which belonged to the group of Rhizodont fishes. "Gooloogongia" lived during the Late Devonian period (Famennian stage, about 360 million years ago). Fossils have been found in the Canowindra site, (Australia). It was named by Dr. Zerina Johanson and Dr. Per Ahlberg in 1998. In general size and shape "Gooloogongia" is similar to the modern saratoga which lives in the tropical rivers of northern Australia.

"Gooloogongia loomesi" ("Loomes' Gooloogong") named after Bruce Loomes, the foreman of the 1993 excavation of the Canowindra site, and the town of Gooloogong, NSW.

Description

"Gooloogongia" was large in size (about 90 cm). Like other lobe-finned fishes, "Gooloogongia" had two rows of teeth in the jaw. Also, had an outer row of small teeth, and an inner row of larger fangs. The fangs of "Gooloogongia" are sharp and needle-like, but they were probably not strong enough to penetrate the armor plating of small placoderms.

External links

* [http://www.ageoffishes.org.au/gooloogo.htm Gooloogongia loomesi]
* [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v394/n6693/fig_tab/394569a0_F1.html#figure-title Specimens of Gooloogongia loomesi]
* [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v394/n6693/fig_tab/394569a0_F4.html#figure-title Morphology of ?Sauripteris, Gooloogongia, Panderichthys and Acanthostega]
* [http://austmus.gov.au/palaeontology/field_sites/popups/canowindra61.htm Reconstruction of Gooloogongia loomesi]
* [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/rse/tes/2001/00000092/00000001/art00004 Devonian rhizodontids and tristichopterids from East Gondwana]