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521 / Paleozoic
Iniopteryx
Iniopteryx rushlaui
High-set broad pectoral fins made this miniature holocephalan look winged underwater.
- Time range
- About 318 million years ago
- Final stage
- Late Carboniferous
- Geographic range
- Lagoon and shallow sea · North America
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Iniopteryx?
Iniopteryx (Iniopteryx rushlaui) was an extinct organism known from About 318 million years ago, with a range in Lagoon and shallow sea · North America.
Life and ecology
It maneuvered through lagoons searching for worms, crustaceans and other small food.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Iniopteryx disappear?
Post-Carboniferous holocephalan reorganization ended the branch.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Iniopteryx?
Fossils preserve skull, fins and sexual structures, though swimming posture remains inferred.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS