Ptycholepis

Ptycholepis is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish having the head and opercular bones ornamented with ridges of ganoin, minute teeth, and thick scales (which are much longer than deep and are grooved longitudinally on the outer side).

Ptycholepis Temporal range:
Ptycholepis bollensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Ptycholepiformes
Family:	†Ptycholepididae
Genus:	†Ptycholepis Agassiz, 1833
Type species
†Ptycholepis bollensis Agassiz, 1833
Species
†P. avus Kner, 1866 †P. barboi Bassani, 1886 †P. curtus Egerton, 1854 †P. gracilis (Davis, 1884) †P. magnus Bürgin, 1992 †P. marshi Newberry, 1878 †P. minor Egerton, 1852 †P. monilifer Woodward, 1895 †P. priscus Bürgin, 1992 †P. raiblensis Bronn, 1859 †P. schaefferi Bürgin, 1992

Ptycholepis belongs to the family Ptycholepidae (= Boreosomidae/Chungkingichthyidae). Other genera of this family are Acrorhabdus (Spitsbergen, Early Triassic), Ardoreosomus (Nevada, United States; Early Triassic), Boreosomus (global, Early Triassic), Chungkingichthys (China, Early Triassic) and Yuchoulepis (China, Early Triassic). A typical feature of this family is the dorsal fin, which inserts at the level of the pelvic fins in the front part of the body. Other characters include the striated skull bones and scales, and the small teeth.

• 
  Ptycholepis bollensis
• 
  Ptycholepis bollensis
• 
  Ptycholepis sp.
• 
  Life restoration

See also

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish

References

• Paleobiology Database entry