Ptycholepiformes
| Ptycholepiformes Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Ptycholepis bollensis fossil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | †Ptycholepiformes Andrews et al. 1967 |
| Families | |
| |
Ptycholepiformes are an extinct order of prehistoric ray-finned fish that existed during the Triassic period and the Early Jurassic epoch. The order includes the genera Acrorhabdus, Ardoreosomus, Boreosomus, Chungkingichthys, Ptycholepis, and Yuchoulepis. Although several families have been proposed, some studies place all these genera in the same family, Ptycholepididae.
Ptycholepiformes had a widespread distribution during the Early Triassic, but were restricted to mainly Europe and North America afterwards. They are known from both marine and freshwater deposits.