Akmonistion Temporal range:
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Holotype fossil | |
Reconstruction | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Order: | † Symmoriiformes |
Family: | † Stethacanthidae |
Genus: | † Akmonistion |
Species: | †A. zangerli
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Binomial name | |
†Akmonistion zangerli Coates & Sequeira, 2001
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Akmonistion is an extinct genus of holocephalian that lived in the Early Carboniferous. The genus contains a single species, A. zangerli, discovered by Stan Wood in 1982. [1] It is distinguished by an unusual enlarged formation of the dorsal fin, called a "spine-brush complex", of unknown function. This is also found in the better known genus Stethacanthus. Remains have only been found near Bearsden in Scotland. [2] [3] The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek “akmon” (“anvil”) + “istion” (“sail”) referring to the appearance of its first dorsal fin. [2] It reached 62 cm (24 in) in length. [2]