# Strunius
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Strunius
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Strunius.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strunius
> Source revision: 1350231648
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|Extinct genus of lobe finned fish}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [Late Devonian](/source/Late_Devonian) {{Fossil range|Frasnian}}
| image = Strunius walteri body fossil.png
| image_caption = Body fossil of ''S. walteri''
| image2 = Strunius rolandi (cropped).jpg
| image2_caption = Artist's restoration of ''S. rolandi''
| taxon = Strunius
| authority = Gross, 1956
| type_species = {{extinct}}'''''Strunius rolandi'''''
| type_species_authority = Gross, 1956
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = *{{extinct}}'''''S. rolandi''''' (Gross, 1956)
*{{extinct}}'''''S. walteri''''' (Jessen, 1966)
*1 unnamed species
}}
'''''Strunius''''' is an [extinct](/source/Extinction) [genus](/source/genus) of [lobe-finned fish](/source/lobe-finned_fish) from the Late [Devonian](/source/Devonian) [period](/source/Period_(geology)) of [Germany](/source/Germany) and [Latvia](/source/Latvia). The genus contains two named [species](/source/species), ''S. rolandi'' and ''S. walteri'', as well as a third unnamed species from the [Lode Quarry](/source/Lode_Formation) of Latvia.[{{Cite journal |last=Upeniece |first=Ieva |title=A new species of Strunius(Sarcopterygii; Onychodontida) from Latvia; Lode quarry (Upper Devonian) |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/213775369 |journal=ResearchGate}}]
== Description ==
Although it was a lobe-finned fish, ''Strunius''' fins were supported by fin rays and appear closer in form to those of [ray-finned fish](/source/ray-finned_fish). However, its [skull](/source/skull) was composed of two articulating halves, a feature characteristic of the lobe-finned [rhipidistia](/source/rhipidistia)ns. The skull was also divided by a deep articulation, with both halves probably connected by a large [muscles](/source/muscle), increasing the strength of the animal's bite.[{{cite book |editor=Palmer, D.|year=1999 |title= The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals|publisher= Marshall Editions|location=London|page= 42|isbn= 1-84028-152-9}}] The same system is seen in [coelacanth](/source/coelacanth)s and the better-known genus ''[Eusthenopteron](/source/Eusthenopteron)''.
Compared to other lobe-finned fishes, ''Strunius'' had a rather short, stubby body, and was just {{convert|10|cm|in|sigfig=1}} long. It was covered in large, round, bony [scales](/source/Fish_scale), and probably fed on other [fishes](/source/Fish).