Biology:Torosteus

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Short description: Extinct genus of fishes

Torosteus
Temporal range: Late Devonian: Frasnian, 382.7–372.2 Ma
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: †Placodermi
Order: †Arthrodira
Suborder: †Brachythoraci
Clade: †Eubrachythoraci
Clade: †Coccosteomorphi
Superfamily: †Incisoscutoidea
Genus: †Torosteus
Gardiner & Miles, 1990
Species
  • Torosteus pulchellus Gardiner & Miles, 1990
  • Torosteus tuberculatus Gardiner & Miles, 1990

Torosteus is an extinct genus of arthrodire placoderm from the Early Frasnian stage of the Late Devonian period. Fossils are found in the Kimberley region of Australia.[1]

Description

Torosteus's body size and morphology are similar to Incisoscutum and Compagopiscis, suggesting a possible pelagic lifestyle, although they were on different trophic levels of their ecosystem.[2] Bite force analysis has suggested that it was an active predator, and fossils have been found in numbers, suggesting possible schooling behavior.[2]

Phylogeny

Torosteus was originally classified as a member of the family Plourdosteidae.[3] However, phylogenetic analysis later found Plourdosteidae to be an invalid grouping, and the family was dismissed.[4] Torosteus is now considered to be a member of the superfamily Incisoscutoidea, which belongs to the clade Coccosteomorphi, one of the two major clades within Eubrachythoraci. The cladogram below shows the phylogeny of Torosteus:[1]

Eubrachythoraci 
 Coccosteomorphi
Coccosteoidea
Coccosteidae
 
 

Millerosteus minor

 
 

Coccosteus cuspidatus

 
 
 
 

Dickosteus threiplandi

 
 

Watsonosteus fletti

 
 

Protitanichthys rockportensis

 
 
 
Panxiosteidae
 

Plourdosteus canadensis

 
 

Panxiosteus ocullus

 
 

Janiosteus timanicus

 
 
 
Incisoscutoidea
 

Harrytoombsia elegans

 
 
 

Torosteus tuberculatus

 
 

Torosteus pulchellus

 
 
 
 

Mcnamaraspis kaprios

 
 
 

Compagopiscis croucheri

 
 

Trematosteus fontanellus

 
Camuropiscidae
 
 

Incisoscutum ritchiei

 
 

Incisoscutum sarahae

 
 
 
 

Rolfosteus canningensis

 
 
 

Tubonasus lennardensis

 
 
 

Fallacosteus turneri

 
 
 

Camuropiscis laidlawi

 
 

Latocamurus coulthardi

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pachyosteomorphi

 
 

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Zhu, You-An; Zhu, Min; Wang, Jun-Qing (1 April 2016). "Redescription of Yinostius major (Arthrodira: Heterostiidae) from the Lower Devonian of China, and the interrelationships of Brachythoraci". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 176 (4): 806–834. doi:10.1111/zoj.12356. ISSN 0024-4082. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Trinajstic, Kate; Briggs, Derek E. G.; Long, John A. (23 November 2021). "The Gogo Formation Lagerstätte: a view of Australia's first great barrier reef". Journal of the Geological Society 179 (1). doi:10.1144/jgs2021-105. ISSN 0016-7649. 
  3. ↑ Carr, R.K.; Hlavin, W.J. (2010). "Two new species of Dunkleosteus Lehman, 1956, from the Ohio Shale Formation (USA, Famennian) and the Kettle Point Formation (Canada, Upper Devonian), and a cladistic analysis of the Eubrachythoraci (Placodermi, Arthrodira)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 159 (1): 195-222. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00578.x. 
  4. ↑ You-An Zhu; Min Zhu (2013). "A redescription of Kiangyousteus yohii (Arthrodira: Eubrachythoraci) from the Middle Devonian of China, with remarks on the systematics of the Eubrachythoraci". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 169 (4): 798-819. doi:10.1111/zoj12089. 

Wikidata ☰ Q112326837 entry