Araripelepidotes

Araripelepidotes Temporal range:
File:Araripelepidotus temnurus araripe.jpg
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Clade:	Ginglymodi
Order:	Lepisosteiformes
Suborder:	Lepisosteioidei
Genus:	†Araripelepidotes (Silva Santos, 1990)
Type species
Lepidotes temnurus (Agassiz, 1841)

Araripelepidotes is a genus of ginglymodian fish.

Habitat

Araripelepidotes was probably endemic to the Araripe Basin, and was commonly found in Santana formation, and rare in the Crato Formation, mostly in carbonate concretions, but uncommon in laminated limestones.

Taxonomic history

The type species A. temnurus was formerly placed in the genus Lepidotes, until it was moved to the new genus in 1990. Formerly placed in the Semionotiformes, more recent morphological studies indicate that it is more closely related to extant gar, and is in fact more closely related to gar than "true" lepidotids such as Lepidotes.

Paleoecology

Araripelepidotes was likely a toothless suction feeder, due to the development of its mobile maxilla and the presence of an interoperculum, and would have inhabited estuarine and freshwater environments. It is the only lepisosteiform known from the Araripe Basin, except for Lepidotes wenzae.