Bobasatraniiformes


Bobasatraniiformes is an extinct order of durophagous ray-finned fish that existed from the late Carboniferous to the Middle Triassic in both marine and freshwater environments. The order includes two families: Bobasatraniidae, with the genera Bobasatrania, Ebenaqua, and Ecrinesomus, and Dorypteridae, comprising only the genus Dorypterus. Two species from the late Carboniferous previously classified in Platysomus, "Platysomus" schultzei and "Platysomus" swaffordae, are now also thought to be early bobasatraniiformes. Bobasatraniiformes had a somewhat global distribution; fossils are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.
Most bobasatraniiforms were small , but some species of Bobasatrania grew up to long or larger. Bobasatraniiformes have a deepend body, a heterocercal caudal fin, and they often lack pelvic fins. Their dorsal and anal fins are often elongate. The body is covered in rhombic scales. Their jaw bones lack teeth. Instead, they possessed strong tooth plates used to crush shelled prey animals similar to modern osteoglossomorphs.
The evolutionary relationships of Bobasatraniiformes with other actinopterygians is not well known, but they are usually placed outside of Neopterygii. A 2025 study found evidence for the order being the sister group to the Guildayichthyiformes from the Carboniferous, with their clade occupying an early-diverging position within the actinopterygian crown group.
Bobasatraniiformes are one of the groups that survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event.

Systematics

Order †Bobasatraniiformes Berg, 1940

Timeline of genera


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from: -298.9 till: -272.95 color:earlypermian text:Early
from: -272.95 till: -259.1 color:middlepermian text:Mid.
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Additional sources

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