Aeoliscus teleajensis

Aeoliscus teleajensis Jonet, 1949

    Oligocene

    Skopow

    Poland

    The species in the genera Aeoliscus and Centriscus belong to the family Centriscidae (Razorfishes) within the order Syngnathiformes. The name "Syngnathiformes" means "conjoined-jaws". Syngnathiformes is an order of ray-finned fishes that includes among others the pipefishes and seahorses (Syngnathidae), razorfishes (Centriscidae), trumpetfishes (Aulostomidae) and cornetfishes (Fistulariidae). Fishes of this order have elongate, narrow, bodies surrounded by a series of bony rings, and small, tubular mouths. The tubular mouth shows that these members of the Syngnathiformes fed on small Crustaceans and such, much as their modern-day relatives Seahorses and Pipefishes.

    Centriscidae (Razorfishes) have elongated, strongly compressed and blade like bodies. The head is elongate with a long and slender, tubular snout; the mouth being small and toothless. There are two short-based dorsal fins with the first dorsal-fin spine being fused with the body armor plates. The caudal fin is small, nearly at a right angle to the body axis; the pelvic fins are small, with 4 short soft rays, originating at or behind midbody. Aeoliscus and Centriscus look very much alike however Centriscus differs from Aeoliscus by having a rigid first dorsal spine which is straight and lacking a hinge.

    The species in the genera Aeoliscus and Centriscus are found in relatively shallow tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific. Razorfish live among seaweed and swim with the body aligned vertically, to blend in with the stems.

    Kotlarczyk, J., A. Jerzmanska, E. Swidnicka, and T. Wiszniowska. 2006. A framework of ichthyofaunal ecostratigraphy of the Oligocene-early Miocene strata of the Polish outer Carpathian basin. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae 76: 1–111.

    Parin, N., N. Micklich. 1996. Fossil gasterosteiformes from the lower oligocene of Frauenweiler (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) I. New information on the morphology and systematics of the genus Aeoliscus Jordan &Starks 1902. Palaeontologische Zeitschrift, Volume 70, Numbers 3-4, 521-545.