Labrophagus esocinus
Labrophagus esocinus
Summary
Labrophagus esocinus was an aulopiform teleost from the London Clay with a long predatory head and very fine jaw dentition. Its teeth were better suited to holding small, soft-bodied prey than to crushing hard shells. As in many aulopiforms, an active carnivorous lifestyle involving small fishes or invertebrates is a reasonable inference from the feeding apparatus.
The known fossils are mostly three-dimensional skulls. Radiating sculpture on the cranial roof and strong striation on the quadrate give the head a distinctive texture, while the delicate teeth emphasise that feeding specialisation did not depend on a few enlarged fangs.
Quick Identification
Look for: an elongate aulopiform skull with radiating striations on the cranial roof, an especially strongly striated quadrate and dense rows of very fine pointed teeth along the jaws.
Diagnostic Features
- Frontal and adjacent skull-roof bones carry strong radiating striations.
- Quadrate is conspicuously sculptured with dense linear striae.
- Jaw teeth are extremely fine, numerous and closely spaced.
- Jaws are long and narrow rather than short and deep.
- Anterior cranium tapers gradually toward the snout without a broad crushing palate.
Fossil Details
Recorded Fossil Sites
No fossil-site occurrences have yet been recorded for this species.
References
- Casier, E. (1966). Faune ichthyologique du London Clay. 496 pp.. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London View reference
- Friedman, M.; Beckett, H. T.; Close, R. A.; Johanson, Z. (2016). The English Chalk and London Clay: two remarkable British bony fish Lagerstätten. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 430(1), 165–200. Geological Society of London, London View reference