Unique spine found in 240-million-year-old fish fossil

Written by:
Hans Kruit, 15 October 2013

Paleontologists have discovered a unique backbone structure, never seen before, in the fossil remains of a fish that lived 240 million years ago.

This long-bodied fish has the scientific name Saurichthys curionii.
Its vertebrae had twice the number of bony extensions called vertebral arches than similar fish, which formed its elongated body.

However, as a result of its backbone structure, this primitive predatory fish lacked the flexibility of today’s long-bodied fish – for example, eels – plus it could not swim with any great speed or stamina.

This inflexible and slow swimmer ultimately met an evolutionary dead end.

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