Archaephippus


Archaephippus is an extinct genus of prehistoric spadefish that lived from the early Eocene. It contains a single species, A. asper, known from Italy. Several exquisitely preserved fossils have been found from the Monte Bolca lagerstatten. Some juvenile specimens preserve the vertical striped coloration that they would have likely had in life.
It was originally described as Chaetodon asper Volta, 1796, which was given the new name Ephippus oblongus by Agassiz. When it was placed in its own genus, the original specific epithet was revived.