Ceratodontidae is an extinct family of lungfish with fossils known worldwide from the earliest Triassic to the Eocene.

Ceratodontidae
Temporal range: Early Triassic to Eocene, 251.3 - 57.0 mya (but see text)
Ceratodus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Sarcopterygii
Class: Dipnoi
Order: Ceratodontiformes
Family: Ceratodontidae
Gill, 1872
Genera

See text

Taxonomy

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Although the extant Queensland lungfish was formerly also classified in this family due to its similar appearance, phylogenetic and morphological evidence indicates that it belongs in a different family, Neoceratodontidae. A morphological study by Kemp et al (2017) proposed that Ceratodontidae was more closely related to modern African (Protopteridae) and South American lungfish (Leptosirenidae) than Queensland lungfish.[1] However, Brownstein, Harrington & Near (2023) found Ceratodontidae to lie outside the crown group of modern lungfish, with all modern lungfish more closely related to each other than to Ceratodontidae.[2]

Genera

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The following genera are known from the family:[3]

Paraceratodus was also classified in this family but phylogenetic evidence supports it being the most basal member of Ceratodontoidei.[1][4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kemp, Anne; Cavin, Lionel; Guinot, Guillaume (2017-04-01). "Evolutionary history of lungfishes with a new phylogeny of post-Devonian genera". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 471: 209–219. Bibcode:2017PPP...471..209K. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.12.051. ISSN 0031-0182.
  2. ^ Brownstein, Chase Doran; Harrington, Richard C; Near, Thomas J. (July 2023). "The biogeography of extant lungfishes traces the breakup of Gondwana". Journal of Biogeography. 50 (7): 1191–1198. Bibcode:2023JBiog..50.1191B. doi:10.1111/jbi.14609. ISSN 0305-0270.
  3. ^ "Fossilworks: Ceratodontidae". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Fossilworks: Paraceratodus". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.