Amiidae

{{Short description|Family of ray-finned fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | oldest_fossil = Late Jurassic | image = Amia calva1.jpg | image_caption = Bowfin | image2 = Amiopsis lepidota 2.jpg | image2_caption = ''Amiopsis'' (Late Jurassic, Germany) | taxon = Amiidae | authority = Bonaparte, 1838 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision = See text }}

The '''Amiidae''' are a family of basal ray-finned fishes. The bowfin and the eyespot bowfin (''Amia ocellicauda'') are the only two species to survive today, although additional species in all four subfamilies of Amiidae are known from Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Eocene fossils.<ref name="Grande1998">{{cite journal |last1=Grande |first1=L. |author2=Bemis, W.E. |year=1998 |title=A Comprehensive Phylogenetic Study of Amiid Fishes (Amiidae) Based on Comparative Skeletal Anatomy. An Empirical Search for Interconnected Patterns of Natural History |journal= Memoir (Society of Vertebrate Paleontology) |volume=4 |pages=1–679 |doi=10.2307/3889331 |jstor= 3889331}}</ref>

Bowfins are now found throughout eastern North America, typically in slow-moving backwaters, canals, and ox-bow lakes. When the oxygen level is low (as often happens in still waters), the bowfin can rise to the surface and gulp air into its swim bladder, which is lined with blood vessels and can serve as a primitive lung. [[Image:Cyclurus kehreri 001.jpg|thumb|right|''Cyclurus kehreri'' fossil from the Eocene of Germany]]

Amiidae is a monophyletic group that has numerous synapomorphic characters. Amiidae were widespread and particularly rich in species during the Eocene era. During this era, they appeared to be confined almost exclusively to fresh water.{{clarify|date=October 2022}}<ref name="Grande1998"/>

==Taxonomy== The family is divided into five subfamilies, with 16 genera<ref name="Grande1998"/><ref name="ref2023" /> *'''Amiidae''' **Subfamily Amiinae (latest Cretaceous -Present) ***Genus ''Amia'' ***Genus †''Cyclurus'' ***Genus †''Pseudoamiatus'' **Subfamily †Amiopsinae (Late Jurassic) ***Genus †''Amiopsis'' **Subfamily †Solnhofenamiinae (Late Jurassic) ***Genus †''Solnhofenamia'' **Subfamily †Vidalamiinae (Early Cretaceous) ***Genus †''Calamopleurus'' ***Genus †''Maliamia'' ***Genus †''Melvius'' ***Genus †''Pachyamia'' ***Genus †''Vidalamia'' **Subfamily ''incertae sedis'' ***Genus †''Bakiribu''? ***Genus †''Lehmanamia''<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Friedman |first=Matt |last2=Beckett |first2=Hermione T. |last3=Close |first3=Roger A. |last4=Johanson |first4=Zerina |date=January 2016 |title=The English Chalk and London Clay: two remarkable British bony fish Lagerstätten |url=https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/full/10.1144/SP430.18 |journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications |volume=430 |issue=1 |pages=165–200 |doi=10.1144/SP430.18|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lehmanamia sheppeyensis – London Clay Fossils |url=https://londonclayfossils.com/ray-finned-fish-selection/amiiformes-bowfins/lehmanamia-sheppeyensis/ |access-date=2025-12-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> ***Genus †''Nipponamia'' ***Genus †''Hispanamia'' **Subfamily †Sinamiinae<ref name="ref2023">Deesri, U.; Naksri, W.; Jintasakul, P.; Noda, Y.; Yukawa, H.; Hossny, T.E.; Cavin, L. A New Sinamiin Fish (Actinopterygii) from the Early Cretaceous of Thailand: Implications on the Evolutionary History of the Amiid Lineage. Diversity 2023, 15, 491. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040491</ref> (Early Cretaceous) ***Genus †''Siamamia'' ***Genus †''Khoratamia'' ***Genus †''Sinamia'' ***Genus †''Ikechaoamia''

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Wikispecies|Amiidae}}

Category:Amioidea Category:Extant Jurassic first appearances Category:Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte Category:Actinopterygii families