Ohmdenia

genus of fishes

Ohmdenia is an extinct genus of pachycormiform from the Lower Jurassic of Germany. Its only species is O. multidentata. Some studies say Ohmdenia is a synonym of Saurostomus.

Artist's restoration

Description

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The fish is only known from an incomplete fossil, but it is good enough proof to know what it looked like. Ohmdenia was a large animal, averaging two and a half meters long. The body is long and thick. It had a wide mouth and a long and short skull.

Taxonomy

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Ohmdenia is a member of the family Pachycormidae in the order Pachycormiformes. For a long time, Ohmdenia was considered a close relative of Birgeria, a famous Triassic predator. Further studies show that this is not the case, so they placed it in the extinct order Pachycormiformes.

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This is a fossil of Ohmdenia. It is incomplete.

References

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  1. Hauff, B. (1953). Ohmdenia multidentata nov. gen. et nov. sp. Ein neuer grober Fischfund aus den Posidonienschiefern des Lias e von Ohmden/Holzmaden in Württemburg. Neues Jahrb. Geol. P.-A. 97, 39–50.
  2. "Ohmdenia". Paleobiology Database.