Prehistoric Models: Lobe-Finned Fish
Osteichthyes meaning “bony fish” are a diverse taxonomic group fish that have skeletons composed of bone instead of cartilage. There are two groups Actinopterygii more commonly known as “ray-finned fish”; including tuna, salmon, goldfish, etc… The other group are Sarcopterygii more commonly known as “lobe-finned fish”; including lungfish and coelacanths.
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Clade: Teleostomi – Superclass: Osteichthyes – Clade: Sarcopterygii
(lungfish, coelacanths, and Tiktaalik)
Devonian to Holocene
Genus and species: Latimeria chalumnae
Common name: West Indian Ocean Coelacanths
Pronounced: See-lo-can-th
Named By: J. L. Smith - 1939
Classification: Clade: Sarcopterygii – Clade: Tetrapodomorpha – Subclass: Actinistia – Order: Coelacanthiformes – Family: Latimeria
Known locations: South and west coast of Africa
Time period: Holocene
Size: 170 centimeters long
Diet: Carnivore
