Gigantopterus
Extinct genus of fishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gigantopterus ("giant wing") is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish that lived around what is now Europe during the Late Triassic epoch.[1] A single species is known, G. telleri from the Carnian-aged Reingrabener Schiefer of Austria.[2][3] Like its close relative Thoracopterus, it had convergently evolved large pectoral fins reminiscent of modern flying fish. Tintori & Sassi (1992) suggested that it may be synonymous with Thoracopterus[4], but Shen & Arratia (2021) reaffirmed it as being a distinct genus.[5]
| Gigantopterus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Peltopleuriformes |
| Family: | †Thoracopteridae |
| Genus: | †Gigantopterus Abel, 1906 |
| Species: | †G. telleri |
| Binomial name | |
| †Gigantopterus telleri Abel, 1906 | |
