Dastilbe

Dastilbe is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish from the Aptian.

Dastilbe
Temporal range: Aptian
~122.46–112.6 Ma
Dastilbe fossil from Brazil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gonorynchiformes
Family: Chanidae
Subfamily: Chaninae
Genus: †Dastilbe
Jordan 1910[1]
Type species
Dastilbe crandalli
Jordan, 1910
Species
  • D. crandalli Jordan 1910
  • D. elongatus Silva Santos 1947

Species
  • Dastilbe elongatus Silva Santos, 1947[1]
  • Dastilbe crandalli Jordan, 1910[2]

Description

Dastilbe could reach a length of 25–60 millimetres (0.98–2.36 in), with a maximum length of about 150 millimetres (5.9 in). It was probably an anadromous fish, tolerant of hypersalinity and subjected to frequent mass mortality. Larger individuals of this predatory fish fed on small fishes and probably they were also cannibalistic.[2]

Distribution

Dastilbe was a primitive gonorynchiform fish widespread in Gondwanaland. Fossils of this fish have been found in the Aptian stage of the Lower Cretaceous Cabo, Codo and Crato Formations of northeastern Brazil and in the Lower Cretaceous of Africa.[3][2]

Taxonomy

The type species Dastilbe crandalli was described by the American ichthyologist David Starr Jordan from specimens collected in Brazil, up to four species have been suggested as comprising Dastilbe but other authorities have suggested that the genus is monotypic, comprising a single phenotypically plastic species D. crandalli.[2]

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See also
  • Prehistoric fish
  • List of prehistoric bony fish

References
  1. The Paleobiology Database
  2. Davis, Samuel P. and David M. Martill - The gonorynchiform fish Dastilbe from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil
  3. Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
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