Listracanthus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Listracanthus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cluster of Listracanthus denticles on display at the Milan Natural History Museum | |
 | |
| Denticles of the holotype specimen of L. pectenatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | incertae sedis |
| Family: | †Listracanthidae |
| Genus: | †Listracanthus Newberry & Worthen, 1870 |
| Species[1] | |
| |
Listracanthus is a genus of extinct chondrichthyan with uncertain affinities. Species of Listracanthus are known primarily from their tremendous, feather-like denticles, which range up to four inches in length. The denticles had a large main spine, from which secondary spines emanate from the sides, like the barbs of a feather or a comb. Listracanthus first appeared in late Carboniferous strata in North America, and eventually disappear from the fossil record some time during the Early Triassic.[1]
The appearance of these sharks are largely unknown. However, author and illustrator Ray Troll recounts an anecdote in his book, Sharkabet, about how paleontologist Rainer Zangerl reportedly once discovered a large shale slab containing a long, eel-like fish covered in long, spine-like denticles characteristic of the genus, only to have it dry out and crumble into dust. As such, according to Zangerl's account, Troll reconstructs Listracanthus as resembling a tremendous, fiercely bristled frill shark.[3] However, other authors have noted that Listracanthus-like denticles have been found associated with the remains of Menaspiformes like Deltoptychius (which do not have eel-like bodies), and have suggested that Listracanthus is a member of this group.[4]
Martill et al., (2014) created the genus Acanthorhachis for the species formerly known as "Listracanthus" spinatus (Bolton, 1896). They also erected the family Listracanthidae to encompass the two genera.[5]
