Chondrosteidae/ˌkɒndroʊstiˈaɪdiː/ is a
family of extinct marine
actinopterygian fishes, known from the Early Jurassic of Europe. They are closely related to modern
sturgeons and
paddlefish of the order
Acipenseriformes, and are either placed as part of that order[3] or the separate order Chondrosteiformes within the
Chondrostei.[4] Three genera are known, Chondrosteus, Gyrosteus, and Strongylosteus.[5] Included species were of large size, with body lengths ranging from 2 metres (6.6 ft) up to 7 metres (23 ft). Their skeleton was largely made up of bones (unlike living chondrosteans), but
ossification was reduced compared to other ray-fins.[6]
^L. Grande & W.E. Bemis (1996). "Interrelationships of Acipenseriformes, with comments on "Chondrostei".". In M. L. J. Stiassny; L. R. Parenti & G. D. Johnson (eds.). Interrelationships of Fishes. Academic Press, San Diego. pp. 85–115.
^
abAgassiz, Louis (1833–43). Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles, Tome I. Imprimerie de Petitpierre, Neuchâtel. pp. 1–188.
^Hilton, Eric J.; Forey, Peter L. (2009). "Redescription of †Chondrosteus acipenseroides Egerton, 1858 (Acipenseriformes, †Chondrosteidae) from the lower Lias of Lyme Regis (Dorset, England), with comments on the early evolution of sturgeons and paddlefishes". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 7 (4): 427–453.
Bibcode:
2009JSPal...7..427H.
doi:
10.1017/S1477201909002740.
S2CID86821521.