Symmoriidae

Live reconstruction of Symmorium

• Asia
• South America
• North America

The Symmoriidae are an extinct family haiartiger cartilaginous fish from the group Symmoriida. The taxon was first established by Bashford Dean in 1909. The eponymous genus forms Symmorium; two other genera are Cobelodus and Denaea. Fossils have been found in the Americas, Europe and dated to the Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous.

Features

The genera of Symmoriidae are similar in physique ago Cladoselache, another primitive genus of Plattenkiemer, but outside the Symmoriida. They had a designated as metapterygiale axis extension of the pectoral fin. The function is still debated, it probably served for locomotion, defense or courtship. Furthermore, there was an outgrowth over the shoulder region, that occurs in the other families Symmoriida absent.

System

The Symmoriidae are the name-giving and at the same time basalste family of Symmoriida. The sister taxon is likely to form an unnamed group, which includes the genus falcatus and Stethacanthidae.

Symmoriidae

Falcatus

Stethacanthidae

Genera

• Cobelodus
• Denaea
• Symmorium