Heliobatis
| Heliobatis | ||||||||||||
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Fossil of Heliobatis radians |
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| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| Eocene | ||||||||||||
| 54 to 38 million years | ||||||||||||
| Locations | ||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Heliobatis | ||||||||||||
| Marsh , 1877 |
Heliobatis is an extinct species of ray that lived in the Eocene . It belongs to the family of sting rays (Dasyatidae) within the Myliobatiformes . Fossils , often with soft tissues also preserved, were found in the Green River Formation in Wyoming , Utah, and Colorado .
features
Heliobatis reached a body length of thirty centimeters to one meter. Its body was disc-shaped and resembled that of the modern ray. There were numerous small thorns along the back line. The tail was constructed like a whip and had barbs . The fins had patterns that are strongly reminiscent of sun rays, which also led to its name Heliobatis , which translates as "sun rays ".
Way of life
Heliobatis was a freshwater fish and lived in lakes and rivers. He hid on the bottom and waited for small fish , crabs and shrimp .
literature
- Karl Albert Frickhinger: Fossils Atlas Fish , Mergus-Verlag, Melle, 1999, ISBN 3-88244-018-X
- Dorling Kindersley: Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life 2001, p. 45 ISBN 3-8310-0342-4
Web links
- The Virtual Fossil Museum Heliobatis radians