Mioplosus is an extinct genus of lates perches that lived from the early to middle Eocene (about 56 to 33.9 million years ago).[2] Five species of the genus has been described, Mioplosus labracoides is found in the Green River Formation Lagerstätte. Mioplosus has numerous extant relatives in Northern Hemisphere fresh- and brackish water, as well as fossil relatives in Asia, Europe and New Zealand, and may be closely related to the modern-day pike-perches (genus Sander).
| Mioplosus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Mioplosus labracoides | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Carangiformes |
| Family: | Latidae |
| Genus: | †Mioplosus Cope, 1877 |
Mioplosus are similar to modern Latidae member, and like them have two dorsal fins, the anterior dorsal fin spiny and the posterior soft-rayed. Fossil Mioplosus up to 20 inches (51 cm) have been found, but anything over 16 inches (41 cm) is rare.
Mioplosus have pointed teeth and are believed to have been active predators, some individuals having been found with fish lodged in its throat. Mioplosus fossils are not found in large groups, which suggest they were solitary.
See also
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References
edit- ^ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- ^ Grande, L. (2013). The lost world of fossil lake: snapshots from deep time. University of Chicago Press; Illustrated edition. ISBN 9780226922966.
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