Challaia
Extinct genus of fishes
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Challaia is an extinct genus of prehistoric freshwater ray-finned fish that lived during the Triassic period in what is now Argentina (Mendoza).[4] Two species are known, C. magna (type species), most likely from the Cerro de Las Cabras Formation, and C. elongata (previously assigned to Myriolepis) from the Los Rastros Formation.[5][1] Three other species, C. multidentata, C. striata and C.? cacheutensis, are considered nomina dubia.[1][3]
| Challaia Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fossil of Challaia elongata[3] | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Elonichthyiformes |
| Family: | †Acrolepidae |
| Genus: | †Challaia Rusconi, 1946 |
| Type species | |
| †Challaia magna Rusconi, 1949 | |
| Other species | |
| |
C. elongata is the youngest known member of the Acrolepididae, a family of early ray-finned fishes that was dominant throughout the late Paleozoic, and survived into the Triassic.[6]
