Spinacanthidae

{{Cleanup taxon|date=August 2024|concern=Disused. See the following: {{Cite PBDB|taxon|355526|' '''Spinacanthidae''' '}}}} {{Short description|Extinct family of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossilrange|55.8|40.4|Early- Middle Eocene<ref name="sepkoskidb"/>}} | image = Spinacanthus_cuneiformis.jpg | image_caption = Reconstruction of ''Spinacanthus'' | taxon = Spinacanthidae | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = * ''Spinacanthus'' * ''Protobalistum'' }}

'''Spinacanthidae''' is an extinct prehistoric family of tetraodontid bony fish that lived from the Lutetian epoch of Eocene Monte Bolca.<ref name="sepkoskidb">{{cite journal | last = Sepkoski | first = Jack | title = A compendium of fossil marine animal genera | journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology | volume = 364 |page=560 | year = 2002 | url = http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class | accessdate = 2009-02-27 }}</ref>

In life, either genus would have resembled a somewhat-flattened boxfish with five massive spines along the anterior-dorsal side, with the longest spine directly above the forehead, and the shortest spine directly in front of the dorsal fin. ''Protobalistum'' is distinguished from its close, sympatric relative, ''Spinacanthus'', in that its scales are large, and form a sort of armor. In ''Spinacanthus'', the individual scales are relatively small, and do not touch each other.

''Protobalistum'' and ''Spinacanthus'' were a part of the ecosystem of the lagoon that became Monte Bolca. Because of their similarity to boxfish, and due to their close relation to modern-day triggerfish, spinacanthids may have preyed on shellfish and small fish.

==See also== {{Portal|Paleontology|Fish}} * ''Eospinus'', another close relative from the Earliest Eocene of Turkmenistan * ''Eolactoria'', another extinct tetraodontid from Monte Bolca * ''Proaracana'', another extinct tetraodontid from Monte Bolca * Prehistoric fish * List of prehistoric bony fish

==References== *[http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/1992/1/SCtP-0072-Hi_res.pdf A remarkable new genus of Tetraodontiform fish with features of both Balistids and Ostraciids from the Eocene of Turkmenistan] (contains a brief discussion and description of Spinacanthidae)

Category:Ostracioidea Category:Spinacanthidae Category:Prehistoric ray-finned fish families