Amia barroisi

Amia barroisi

(Leriche, 1900)

Common name Bowfin relative
Fossil group Bony Fish
Order Amiiformes
Family Amiidae
Genus Amia
Taxonomic status Provisionally Accepted
Geological age Ypresian

Summary

Amia barroisi was an early Eocene amiid, part of the bowfin lineage of halecomorph ray-finned fishes. Amiids had elongate to moderately robust bodies and powerful jaws; comparison with the living bowfin and better-known fossil relatives suggests a predatory lifestyle focused on fishes and larger invertebrates, although that ecology is inferred rather than directly demonstrated for this species.

The species is known from cranial and jaw elements, isolated teeth and vertebrae. Historical material was first placed in Pappichthys, a genus later absorbed into Amia, so identifications should be based on the preserved amiid jaw and cranial character combination rather than on the obsolete generic name.

Quick Identification

Look for: robust amiid jaw or cranial material with a deep tooth-bearing margin, closely set conical teeth or tooth bases, and the heavy construction expected in a bowfin relative. Vertebrae can support the identification when associated, but isolated teeth or incomplete centra should not be forced to species without matching jaw or cranial anatomy.

Diagnostic Features

  • Dentary and maxillary elements are robust and carry a marginal row of closely spaced conical tooth positions.
  • Tooth bases are broad relative to their length and remain conspicuous even where crowns are lost.
  • Medial dentary anatomy includes a shelf for articulation with the coronoid tooth-bearing complex where sufficiently preserved.
  • Maxillary material, where complete enough, preserves the characteristic amiid dorsal notch and associated jaw architecture.
  • Species-level referral requires a matching combination of jaw or cranial characters; isolated vertebrae or single conical teeth are insufficient alone.

Fossil Details

Typical size
Not reliably established from the published isolated cranial, dental and vertebral material.
Fossil material
Tooth, Jaw, Skull / Cranial Bone, Vertebra
Preservation
Amiid jaws and cranial bones are commonly incomplete, with tooth crowns missing while bases or sockets remain. Surface abrasion can reduce useful bone texture and damage articular margins; isolated vertebrae and heavily worn jaw fragments should therefore not be assigned to species without overlapping diagnostic jaw or cranial anatomy.

Similar Species

Recorded Fossil Sites

Synonyms & Previous Names

Pappichthys barroisi; Amia (Pappichthys) barroisi

References

  • Grande, L.; Bemis, W.E. (1998). A Comprehensive Phylogenetic Study of Amiid Fishes (Amiidae) Based on Comparative Skeletal Anatomy. An Empirical Search for Interconnected Patterns of Natural History. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 18(Suppl. 1), 1–696 View reference
  • White, E.I. (1931). The vertebrate faunas of the English Eocene. I. From the Thanet Sands to the Basement Bed of the London Clay. 121 pp.. British Museum (Natural History), London View reference
Last Reviewed
21 August 2026 Reviewed by Sam Harris