Aethalionopsis
| Aethalionopsis Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Aethalionopsis robustus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gonorynchiformes |
| Family: | Chanidae |
| Subfamily: | Chaninae |
| Genus: | †Aethalionopsis Gaudant, 1966 |
| Species: | †A. robustus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Aethalionopsis robustus (Traquair, 1911) | |
Aethalionopsis is an extinct genus of prehistoric freshwater bony fish from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian to early Aptian, with possible earlier or later occurrences) of western Europe. Formerly classified as a species of the elopiform Anaethalion, it is now known to be a relative of the modern milkfish (Chanos) in order Gonorhynchiformes. It was previously placed as a basal member of the suborder Chanoidei, but is now more often placed as a basal member of the subfamily Chaninae of the family Chanidae, placing it closer to the extant Chanos.
Only a single species is presently accepted, A. robustus from the famous Iguanodon dinosaur locality of the Sainte-Barbe Clays Formation in Bernissart, Belgium. However, potential localities are also known from the Berriasian-Hauterivian of Sussex, England (classified in the genus Anaethalion as A. valdensis), and the Aptian-Albian of southern Italy (possibly an undescribed species). However, more recent studies have only accepted and commented on A. robustus, with no mention of these other occurrences.