Strongylosteus

Strongylosteus; Temporal range: Early Toarcian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Strongylosteus hindenburgi fossil, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Chondrosteiformes
Family:	†Chondrosteidae
Genus:	†Strongylosteus; Jaekel, 1931
Species:	†S. hindenburgi
Binomial name
	†Strongylosteus hindenburgi; (Pompeckj, 1914)
Synonyms
	†Chondrosteus hindenburgi Pompeckj, 1914;

Strongylosteus is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the early Toarcian age of the Early Jurassic epoch.^[1]^[2] Its type species is Strongylosteus hindenburgi (monotypy). It is related to modern sturgeon and paddlefish (Acipenseroidei), but with a different kind of mouth than common species, made for hunting prey in open waters, with a strong lower jaw, similar to modern beluga sturgeon.

Strongylosteus is a large member of the family Chondrosteidae and the largest non-reptilian marine vertebrate in the Posidonia Shale, with a size between 3 metres (9.8 ft) and 4.5 metres (15 ft), and an estimated weight over 800 kg to 1 tonne.

Strongylosteus has been suggested as a junior synonym of Chondrosteus, although there haven't been any new revisions about the status of the genus.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
^ Hennig, E. (1925). Chondrosteus Hindenburgi Pomp.---Ein «Stör» des württembergischen Ölschiefers (Lias\epsilon). Palaeontographica (1846-1933), 115–134.
^ Bemis, William E.; Findeis, Eric K.; Grande, Lance (1997). "An overview of Acipenseriformes". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 48 (1–4): 25–71. doi:10.1023/A:1007370213924. S2CID 24961905.