Sphyraena bolcensis
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| Sphyraena bolcensis Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fossil specimen, Museo di Arsago Seprio | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Carangiformes |
| Suborder: | Centropomoidei |
| Family: | Sphyraenidae |
| Genus: | Sphyraena |
| Species: | †S. bolcensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Sphyraena bolcensis Agassiz, 1835 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Sphyraena bolcensis is an extinct species of prehistoric barracuda known from the Eocene. It is known from the late Ypresian-aged Monte Bolca site of Italy.[1][2]
It is one of the earliest and best-known fossil barracudas.[3] It was initially described by Volta (1796) as a fossil specimen of the modern Sphyraena sphyraena, before Agassiz (1835) moved it to its own species, where it has since remained.[4] More recent studies suggest that it appears to predate the evolutionary radiation of crown group Sphyraena, and thus likely represents a stem-group barracuda. Despite being classified in the extant genus Sphyraena, its phylogenetic affinities have never been properly studied, and it thus may not necessarily be a true member of the genus, especially given it predating the modern barracuda radiation.[3]
