Sphyraena bolcensis AGASSIZ, 1844

Taxonomy

Barracuda

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopteri 1871
Order: Perciformes Bleeker 1859
Family: Sphyraenidae Rafinesque 1815
Genus: Sphyraena
Species: Sphyraena bolcensis
Author Citation AGASSIZ, 1844

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Paleogene
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Eocene
International Age: Lutetian

Stratigraphy

Monte Bolca Formation

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 35 cm

Location

Pesciara ("The Fishbowl")
Monte Bolca near Verona
Veneto
Italy

• barracuda
• eocene
• italy
• monte bolca
• pesciara
• sphyraena
• tff-oilshale-ch837

Comments

Recent Sphyraenea barracuda, own work of Laban712 (from Wikipedia):

 

The genus Sphyraena (from Latin: "pike-like") belongs to the order Perciformes. Members of the genus Sphyraena, better known as Barracudas, are elongated fish, pike-like in appearance, with large pointed heads and jaws. The two dorsal fins are widely separated with the anterior fin having five spines, the posterior fin having only one spine and nine soft rays. The posterior dorsal fin is similar in size to the anal fin and is situated above it. Barracudas normally have an under bite with prominent sharp-edged fang-like teeth in sockets.

The oldest known barracuda fossil found so far dates to the Eocene period.

All members of the genus Sphyraena are voracious predators; they feed upon cephalopods and crustaceans but mainly prey on fishes. Young barracudas can be often seen in small schools. Adult barracudas are considered to be solitary when it comes to hunting. The great barracuda can swim up to 35 mph, yet it can move forward slowly with no apparent effort; thus increasing its stealth.

Barracuda are found primarily in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, but certain species such as the Great Barracuda lives in brackish water.