Leptolepides

Lep-toe-lep-i-deez.
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Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

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Name

Leptolepides.

Phonetic

Lep-toe-lep-i-deez.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Gnathostomata,‭ ‬Osteichthyes,‭ ‬Actinopterygii,‭ ‬Pachycormiformes.

Diet

Carnivore‭ (‬of small organisms‭)‬.

Species

L.‭ ‬sprattiformis,‭ ‬L.‭ ‬haerteisi‭

Size

Around‭ ‬10‭ ‬to‭ ‬15‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Germany.

Time Period

Late Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Multiple individuals.

In Depth

       Originally assigned to the genus Clupea‭ (‬better known as herrings‭) ‬as Clupea sprattiformis by Blainville in‭ ‬1818,‭ ‬the species was actually erected to its own genus level in‭ ‬1974‭ ‬by Nybelin.‭ ‬Leptolepides were fairly small fish but are among the most numerous known from the Solnhofen limestones of Germany.‭ ‬Aside from being similar to modern day herring in form,‭ ‬they may have been similar in ecological niche too.

       Leptolepides were quite possibly prey to many other animals including pterosaurs and other fish.‭ ‬Evidence for this come from specimen WDC CSG‭ ‬255‭ (‬described by Frey and Tichlinger in‭ ‬2012‭) ‬which shows a Leptolepides in the throat of a pterosaur called Rhamphorhynchus which in turn seems to have had its left wing speared by a fish of the Aspidorhynchus genus.‭ ‬It is not certain if the Aspidorhynchus was targeting the Rhamphorhynchus,‭ ‬or if it was actually trying for the Leptolepides when the Rhamphorhynchus simply got in the way.‭ ‬Leptolepides remains have also been found within the stomach contents of other fish.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A compendium of fossil marine animal genera‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jack Sepkoski‭ ‬-‭ ‬2002. -‭ ‬The Late Jurassic pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus,‭ ‬a frequent victim of the ganoid fish Aspidorhynchus‭? ‬-‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Frey‭ & ‬H.‭ ‬Tischlinger‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.

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