Petalodontiformes

Worldwide

The Petalodontiformes, also called Petalodontida, are an extinct group of cartilaginous fish that is mainly known by finds of fossil teeth and seemed from the Lower Carboniferous to Upper Triassic. The teeth are wide, have flat, diamond-shaped surfaces and probably formed a strong plaster dental bite, which was suitable to crush hard-shelled prey. Each tooth root had a long, which was divided in some cases.

In the few cases where even body contours are preserved fossil, they often show similar roche, flattened fish with greatly enlarged pectoral fins. The best known genus Belantsea other hand, is high backs.

It is believed that the Petalodontiformes distant relatives of today's chimaeras ( Chimaeriformes ) are.

Inside systematics

• Family Belantseidae Genera Belantsea, Ctenoptychius, Netsepoye

• Genus Janassa

• Genera Itapyrodus, Janassa, Petalodus, Polyrhizodus

• Genera Megactenopetalus, Peripristis, Petalorhynchus, Pristodus, Siksika

• Genera Antliodus, Brachyrhizodus, Cynopodius, Euglossodus, Fissodus, Glyphanodus, Mesolophodus, Paracymatodus, Serratodus