Virtual Museum: Teleost Fishes

The majority of the ray-finned fishes fall into the derived clade Teleostei. These fishes are characterized by smaller, thinner (cycloid) scales, a vertically-symmetric (homocercal) tail, and various features of the skull & jaws.

The Aspidorhynchiformes is an extinct order of elongated fishes with long snouts. They are either primitive teleosts or closely related to the teleosts.

Belonostomus sp.

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Aspidorhynchiformes†

Solnhofen Limestone, Germany

Late Jurassic Period

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Belonostomus sp.?

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Aspidorhynchiformes†; Aspidorhynchidae

Solnhofen, Germany?

Late Jurassic Period

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

Fossil of an Aspidorhynchus acutirostris fish that died as it caught the pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus muensteri (which in turn ate a Leptolepides fish). It is believed that the Aspidorhynchus fish tried to catch the pterosaur as it flew low over the water (to catch it own fish), but the two became entangled and sunk into an anoxic layer of the lagoon. Photograph of actual fossil.

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Aspidorhynchiformes†; Aspidorhynchidae

Solnhofen, Germany

Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

Pachyrhizodus caninus reconstructed skeleton.

Taxonomy: Order Crossognathiformes†; Pachyrhizodontidae†

Niobrara Chalk, Kansas

late Cretaceous Period, 70 Ma

Museum of Ancient Life, Utah

The Ichthyodectiformes is an extinct order of large (1-6 m long) predatory marine fishes.

Xiphactinus audax reconstructed skeleton. This was one of the largest bony fishes ever, reaching up to 6 m long. It is possible this fish was endothermic.

Taxonomy: Order Ichthyodectiformes (extinct)

Niobrara Chalk, Kansas

late Cretaceous Period, 70 Ma

Museum of Ancient Life, Utah

Xiphactinus audax fossil with prey in stomach.

Denver Museum of Science & Nature

Life model of Xiphactinus audax.

Taxonomy: Order Ichthyodectiformes (extinct)

late Cretaceous Period, 68 Ma; Kansas

Dinosaur Resource Center, Colorado

Gillicus arcuatus was a large filter-feeding fish.

Taxonomy: Order Ichthyodectiformes (extinct)

Niobrara Chalk, Gove Co., Kansas

late Cretaceous Period, 85 Ma

Denver Museum of Science & Nature

The Order Osteoglossiformes includes modern freshwater fish such as arowanas, knifefishes, elephantfish, etc.

Phareodus sp. fossil.

Taxonomy: Osteoglossiformes; Osteoglossidae

Green River Formation, WY

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum

Phareodus encaustus fossil.

Taxonomy: Osteoglossiformes; Osteoglossidae

Fossil Lake, WY

Eocene Epoch

Chicago Field Museum

The Order Clupeiformes includes modern marine fish such as herrings and anchovies, but many fossil members of this group are from fresh water.

Gosiutichthys parvus cannibalism.

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Clupeiformes; Clupeidae

Green River Formation, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

A Diplomystus dentatus that died while eating a Knightia eocaena, presumably choking on food that was too large (a phenomenon referred to as "aspiration").

Taxonomy (of both): Teleostei; Clupeiformes

Fossil Lake, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Another example of Diplomystus dentatus aspiration, this time with just the tail of its last meal sticking out.

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Clupeiformes; Armigatidae

Green River Formation, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

A herring, Ornategulum sardinoides.

Taxonomy: Teleostei; Clupeiformes

Lebanon

Late Cretaceous, 98, 98 Ma

Museum of Ancient Life, UT

Life model of Knightia sp., a fresh-water herring.

Taxonomy: Order Clupeiformes

Eocene Epoch, 50 Ma

Fossil Butte National Monument

The sandfish Notogoneus osculus, is in an order that is part of a larger clade, the Ostariophysi, a group that includes modern characins, minnows, carps, catfishes, etc.

Taxonomy: Ostariophysi; Gonorynchiformes; Gonorynchidae

Fossil Lake, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Chicago Field Museum

Astephus antiquus catfish.

Taxonomy: Ostariophysi; Siluriformes; Ictaluridae

Green River Formation, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum

Holotype fossil of the pickerel, Esox kroneri.

Taxonomy: Salmoniformes; Esocidae

Fossil Lake, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Chicago Field Museum

The Order Aulopiformes survive today as mostly deep-sea fishes, but they were considerably more diverse during the Creteaceous Period.

Cimolichthys nepaholica, reconstructed skeleton and fossil.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Cimolichthyidae†

Niobrara Chalk, Kansas

late Cretaceous Period, 70 Ma

Dinosaur Resource Center, Woodland Park, CO

Rhynchodercetis hakelensis fossil.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Dercetidae†

Lebanon

Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian Stage

Black Hills Institute Museum

Dercetis serpentinus fossil.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Dercetidae†

Hjoula, Lebanon

Late Cretaceous, 110 Ma

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

Reconstructed skeleton of Enchodus petrosus, the saber-toothed herring.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Enchodontidae†

Niobrara Chalk, Lane Co., Kansas

late Cretaceous Period, 85 Ma

Dinosaur Resource Center, Woodland Park, CO

Life model of Enchodus sp., in the jaws of a plesiosaur (marine reptile).

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Enchodontidae†

Black Mesa Formation, Late Cretaceous Period, 100 Ma

Arizona Museum of Natural History

Eurypholis boissieri viper fish.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes, Enchodontidae†

Lebanon

Late Cretaceous Period, Cenomanian Stage

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Nematonotus longispinus.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes; Aulopidae

Lebanon

Late Cretaceous Period, Cenomanian Stage

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Apateopholis laniatus.

Taxonomy: Aulopiformes; Ichthyotringidae†

Lebanon

Late Cretaceous Period, Cenomanian Stage

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

The order Scombriformes includes a variety of marine fishes, including tunas.

Palaeorhynchus sp.

Taxonomy: Order Scombriformes; Palaeorhynchidae

Bolca, Italy

Eocene Epoch, 50 Ma

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

The order Carangiformes are marine fishes, including many fast-swimming species, but also the flatfishes. The oldest known members of this order are the moonfishes in the genus Mene, which still persists to this day.

Mene rhombea.

Taxonomy: Carangiformes; Menidae

Verona, Monte Bolca, Italy

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Mene rhombea.

Taxonomy: Carangiformes; Menidae

Bolca, Italy

Eocene Epoch, 50 Ma

Tuscon Gem & Mineral Show

The Perciformes is a large order of rather typical 'perch-like' fishes found in both fresh water and marine environments.

Mioplosus labracoides.

Taxonomy: Perciformes; Percidae

Green River Formation, Wyoming?

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Mioplosus labracoides eating a Diplomystus dentatus.

Taxonomy: Perciformes; Percidae

Green River Formation, Wyoming?

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Another example of aspiration involving Mioplosus labracoides, this time while eating a Knightia eocaena.

Taxonomy: Perciformes; Percidae

Fossil Lake, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Chicago Field Museum

Priscacara serrata.

Taxonomy: Acanthuriformes; Moronidae

Green River Formation, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota

Priscacara serrata.

Taxonomy: Acanthuriformes; Moronidae

Fossil Lake, Wyoming

Eocene Epoch

Chicago Field Museum

Triacanthus sp. triggerfish.

Taxonomy: Order Tetraodontiformes

Marecchia Creek, Rimini, Italy

Pliocene Epoch

Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota