Tristychius

Tristychius; Temporal range: Early Carboniferous, Visean PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Restoration of Tristychius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Order:	†Hybodontiformes
Family:	†Tristychiidae
Genus:	†Tristychius; Agassiz, 1837[1]
Type species
	†Tristychius arcuatus; Agassiz, 1837

Tristychius is an extinct genus of shark from the Carboniferous period (Visean). Fossils of T. arcuatus, the type and only species, including fin spines have been found in Scotland.

Tristychius was a small shark, about 60 centimetres (2 ft) long. It had a well-developed upturned caudal fin, similar to that of many modern sharks. Physically it may have resembled a modern dogfish. Tristychius also had spikes attached to the bases of its dorsal fins, probably for protection against predators.[2]

Life reconstruction of Tristychius arcuatus

References

L. Agassiz. 1837. Recherches Sur Les Poissons Fossiles. Tome III (livr. 8-9). Imprimérie de Petitpierre, Neuchatel viii-72 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.

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[1] L. Agassiz. 1837. Recherches Sur Les Poissons Fossiles. Tome III (livr. 8-9). Imprimérie de Petitpierre, Neuchatel viii-72 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]

[EoDP-2] Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.