Austromola is an extinct genus of ocean sunfish. It contains a single species, A. angerhoferi, known from the Lower Miocene Ebelsberg Formation near Pucking, Austria.[1] It is thought to be the sister taxon to Mola and Masturus.[2]

Austromola
Temporal range: Early Miocene
Life restoration, with Keasius
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Molidae
Genus: Austromola
Gregorova et al., 2009
Species:
A. angerhoferi
Binomial name
Austromola angerhoferi
Gregorova et al., 2009

This species was a resident of the Paratethys Sea and is estimated to have reached a length around 320 cm (130 in), and total height around 400 cm (160 in), making it among the largest Cenozoic fossil teleosts known. It has been described as "one of the most spectacular Cenozoic teleost fish" in terms of both size and preservation, as three individual articulated, partially complete specimens are known.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  2. ^ a b Gregorova, Ruzena; Schultz, Ortwin; Harzhauser, Mathias; Kroh, Andreas; Ćorić, Stjepan (12 June 2009). "A giant early Miocene sunfish from the North Alpine Foreland Basin (Austria) and its implication for molid phylogeny". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29 (2): 359–371. Bibcode:2009JVPal..29..359G. doi:10.1671/039.029.0201. S2CID 54774567.
  3. ^ "The Ocean Sunfishes: Evolution, Biology and Conservation". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 2024-02-26.