Eosaurichthys
| Eosaurichthys Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Saurichthyiformes |
| Family: | †Saurichthyidae |
| Genus: | †Eosaurichthys Liu & Wei, 1988 |
| Type species | |
| Eosaurichthys chaoi Liu & Wei, 1988 | |
| Species | |
| |
Eosaurichthys ("dawn Saurichthys") is an extinct genus, or potentially subgenus, of marine saurichthyid ray-finned fish that lived during the late Permian epoch (Changhsingian age) to potentially the Early Triassic epoch (Olenekian). It is one of the earliest saurichthyid genera known from the fossil record. If E. madagascariensis is a member of this genus, then it appears to have survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event.
Eosaurichthys is often treated as a subgenus of Saurichthys rather than a genus, with its type species referred to as Saurichthys (Eosaurichthys) chaoi.
Up to two species are known:
- E. chaoi Liu & Wei, 1988 - Late Permian (Changhsingian) of China (Changxing Formation)
- E. madagascariensis (Piveteau, 1945) - Early Triassic (Olenekian) of Madagascar (Sakamena Formation)
Saurichthyid remains tentatively referred to E. madagascariensis are known from Anisian-aged freshwater beds of the Yerrapalli Formation in India.