Bonnerichthys

Bon-ner-rik-fiss.
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Cassidy Wood

Paleoentomologist

Cassidy Wood uncovers the tiny yet significant world of prehistoric insects. Her research on amber-preserved specimens has revealed intricate details about ancient ecosystems.

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Name

Bonnerichthys.

Phonetic

Bon-ner-rik-fiss.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Actinopterygii,‭ ‬Pachycormiformes,‭ ‬Pachycormidae.

Diet

‭ ‬Planktonic filter feeder.

Species

B.‭ ‬gladius‭

Size

Up to about‭ ‬6‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

USA.

Time Period

Late Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial remains.

In Depth

       Bonnerichthys is a genus of very large filter feeding fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous.‭ ‬By becoming a filter feeder of plankton,‭ ‬Bonnerichthys had access to a near limitless supply of food,‭ ‬while expending very little energy in gathering it,‭ ‬meaning that more calories could go into building and maintaining a large body size.‭

       Relative genera to Bonnerichthys include Rhinconichthys and Leedsichthys.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Bonnerichthys gladius‭ (‬Osteichthyes‭) ‬from the Cretaceous of the Atlantic coastal states.‭ ‬Abstracts with Programs‭ ‬-‭ ‬Geological Society of America‭ ‬43‭(‬1‭)‬:87.‭ ‬-‭ ‬B.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Grandstaff,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Parris‭ & ‬R.‭ ‬O.‭ ‬Johnson‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Parasaurolophus ‭(‬Near Saurolophus/Near lizard crest‭)‬ Hadrosaur