Esocelops

Esocelops (portmanteau of Esox + Elops) is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine elopid ray-finned fish that lived during the Eocene.^[1] It contains a single species, E. cavifrons, known from the Early Eocene of England (London Clay).^[2]

Esocelops Temporal range: Lower Eocene[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Elopiformes
Family:	Elopidae
Genus:	†Esocelops Woodward, 1901
Species:	†E. cavifrons
Binomial name
†Esocelops cavifrons Woodward, 1901 ex Agassiz, 1845

It was initially named, but not described, by Agassiz (1845) as Eurygnathus cavifrons, with Eurygnathus later being found to be both preoccupied by a beetle and synonymous with Enchodus. Woodward (1901) officially described it in the genus Esocelops, retaining Agassiz's original species name.^[3][4]

See also

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish

References

1. Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
2. "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
3. Geology, British Museum (Natural History) Department of; Woodward, Arthur Smith (1901). Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum (Natural History): Actinopterygian Teleostomi of the suborders Isospondyli (in part), Ostariophysi, Apodes, Percesoces, Hemibranchii, Acanthopterygii, and Anacanthini. order of the Trustees.
4. Friedman, Matt; Beckett, Hermione T.; Close, Roger A.; Johanson, Zerina (2016-01-01), Johanson, Z.; Barrett, P. M.; Richter, M.; Smith, M. (eds.), "The English Chalk and London Clay: two remarkable British bony fish Lagerstätten", Arthur Smith Woodward: His Life and Influence on Modern Vertebrate Palaeontology, vol. 430, Geological Society of London, p. 0, ISBN 978-1-86239-741-5, retrieved 2025-02-21