Ctenacanthus
Extinct genus of cartilaginous fishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ctenacanthus (from Greek: κτείς kteis, 'comb' and Greek: ἄκανθα akantha, 'spine')[1] is an extinct genus of ctenacanthiform chondrichthyan. Remains have been found in the Bloyd Formation (Carboniferous Period) of Arkansas and the Cleveland Shale (Devonian Period) of Ohio in the United States and in South America.[2][3][4]
| Ctenacanthus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
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| Dorsal spine of the type species, C. major, as illustrated by Louis Agassiz | |
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| Restoration of C. concinnus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | †Ctenacanthiformes |
| Family: | †Ctenacanthidae |
| Genus: | †Ctenacanthus Agassiz, 1837 |
| Type species | |
| Ctenacanthus major Agassiz, 1837 | |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Valid species
- Ctenacanthus buttersi St. John & Worthen, 1883
- Ctenacanthus chemungensis Claypole, 1885
- Ctenacanthus concinnus Newberry, 1875
- Ctenacanthus denticulatus McCoy, 1848
- Ctenacanthus formosus Newberry, 1873
- Ctenacanthus harrissi Caster, 1930
- Ctenacanthus lamborni Wells, 1944
- Ctenacanthus major Agassiz, 1843
- Ctenacanthus pellensis St. John & Worthen, 1883
- Ctenacanthus sculptus St. John & Worthen, 1875
- Ctenacanthus terrelli Newberry, 1889
- Ctenacanthus tumidus Newberry, 1889
- Ctenacanthus vetustus Eastman, 1902
- Ctenacanthus wrightii Newberry, 1884
- Ctenacanthus amblyxiphias Cope, 1891
- Ctenacanthus ishii Kapoor & Sahni, 1971
Palaeoecology
Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) of C. concinnus teeth shows that the species was an opportunistic feeder that would have eaten a variety of animals, including other chondrichthyans and ectocochleate cephalopods.[5]
