{{Short description|Extinct genus of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|55.8|23.03|Cenozoic}} | image = Sparidae - Sparnodus vulgaris.JPG | image_caption = ''Sparnodus vulgaris'' | taxon = Sparnodus | authority = [[Louis Agassiz|Agassiz]], 1839 | subdivision = [[#Species|See text]] | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision_ref = <ref>{{fossilworks |id=36200 |title=''Sparnodus'' |access-date=8 February 2024}}</ref> }}
'''''Sparnodus''''' is an extinct genus of prehistoric [[perciform]] fish in the family [[Sparidae]]. Species of this genus were nektonic carnivores. These fishes lived in the [[Cenozoic]] Era, in the [[Oligocene]] and [[Paleocene]] (55.8 to 23.03 Ma).<ref>[http://strata.geology.wisc.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class Sepkoski Database]</ref>
==Species== {{Species list | {{extinct}}Sparnodus altivelis | | {{extinct}}Sparnodus elongatus | | {{extinct}}Sparnodus macrophthalmus | | {{extinct}}Sparnodus micracanthus | | {{extinct}}Sparnodus ovalis | | {{extinct}}Sparnodus vulgaris | }}
==Description== These medium-sized fishes usually could reach a length of {{convert|30|cm}}. They had a laterally compressed body, quite gibbous in the forepart, with a single dorsal fin, well developed and supported by strong spines. The anal fin was about half the length of the caudal one and was also equipped with spiny rays. Also the pectoral fins were long and well developed. The body was covered with large finely wrinkled scales. The mouth was small and had strong conical teeth. They had no [[palatal teeth]] nor protracted jaws.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Igg-AAAAcAAJ&dq=Sparnodus+length&pg=PA73 Geology, Introductory, Descriptive and Practical, Volume 2]</ref> <gallery widths="240" heights="180"> File: Sparidae - Sparnodus elongatus.JPG|Fossil of ''Sparnodus elongatus'' from [[Monte Bolca]] File: Sparidae - Sparnodus macrophthalmus.JPG|Fossil of ''Sparnodus macrophthalmus'' from [[Monte Bolca]] File:Sparnodus micracanthus.jpg|Fossil of ''Sparnodus micracanthus'' </gallery>
==Bibliography== *Bannikov, A. 2006. Fishes from the Eocene of Bolca, northern Italy, previously classified in the Sparidae, Serranidae and Haemulidae (Perciformes). Geodiversitas, vol. 28, no2, pp. 249–275. *Day J. J. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of the Sparidae (Teleostei: Percoidei) and implications for convergent trophic evolution. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 76: 269–301 *Day J. J. 2003. Evolutionary relationships of the Sparidae (Teleostei: Percoidei): integrating fossil and Recent data. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences 93: 333–353 *L. Agassiz. 1839. Recherches Sur Les Poissons Fossiles. Tome IV (livr. 13). Imprimerie de Petitpierre, Neuchatel 109–204
==See also== {{Portal|Paleontology|Fish}} * [[Prehistoric fish]] * [[List of prehistoric bony fish]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * Alexandre F. Bannikov - [https://web.archive.org/web/20061202132421/http://www.mnhn.fr/museum/front/medias/publication/8116_g06n2a5.pdf Fishes from the Eocene of Bolca, northern Italy, previously classified in the Sparidae, Serranidae and Haemulidae (Perciformes)] * [http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/museum-en/paleontological-collections/protection-and-conservation/the-pesciara-di-bolca-and-the-monte-postale The "Pesciara di Bolca" and the "Monte Postale"]
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[[Category:Prehistoric percomorph genera]] [[Category:Eocene fish]] [[Category:Paleocene fish]] [[Category:Fossils of Italy]] [[Category:Cenozoic fish of Europe]] [[Category:Fossil taxa described in 1839]] [[Category:Taxa named by Louis Agassiz]]