Robustichthys
Extinct arthropod genus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robustichthys is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish from the Middle Triassic period, contains only one species R. luopingensis.[1][2] It belonged to the clade Halecomorphi, which were once diverse during the Mesozoic Era, but which are today represented by only a single species, the bowfin. Halecomorphs are holosteans, a clade which first appeared in the fossil record during the Triassic.[3]
| Robustichthys Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fossil specimens, (A) IVPP V18568 (holotype), (B) IVPP V20416 | |
 | |
| Reconstruction | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Clade: | Halecomorphi |
| Order: | †Ionoscopiformes |
| Genus: | †Robustichthys Xu et al., 2014 |
| Type species | |
| †Robustichthys luopingensis Xu et al., 2014 | |
Description
Robustichthys is described from Anisian Guanling Formation, Luoping, Yunnan, China. It is the oldest member of Ionoscopiformes, an order within Halecomorphi.[1] The largest specimen reaches length about 36 cm (1.18 ft), which makes it the largest holostean fish in the Middle Triassic.[2]
