Lungfish-fish equipped with rudimentary lungs in addition to their gills-occupy a side branch of fish evolution, reaching a peak of diversity during the late Devonian period, about 350 million years ago, and then dwindling in importance (today there are only a handful of lungfish species). Middle-Late Devonian (400-360 million years ago) Like many other fossil fish (not to mention aquatic reptiles like plesiosaurs and mosasaurs), Bonnerichthys thrived not in the deep ocean, but the relatively shallow Western Interior Sea that covered much of North America during the Cretaceous period.ĭipterus (Greek for 'two wings') pronounced DIP-teh-russ What he found was a large (20 foot long) prehistoric fish that fed not on its fellow fish, but on plankton-the first filter-feeding bony fish to be identified from the Mesozoic Era. Middle Cretaceous (100 million years ago)Īs so often happens in paleontology, the fossil of Bonnerichthys (preserved on a huge, unwieldy slab of rock extracted from a Kansas fossil site) had been stashed unnoticed for years until an enterprising researcher took a closer look at it and made an amazing discovery. It is found in depths from 6 to192 m (20-630 ft).Bonnerichthys (Greek for 'Bonner's fish') pronounced BONN-er-ICK-thiss It is found on soft bottoms, where it creates and lives in burrows. The giant wrymouth ranges from the Bering Sea to Humboldt Bay, California. The giant wrymouth can grow up to at least 1.17 m (3.8 ft) in length, or 1.6 m (5 ft.) in length in Alaska. The lack of pelvic fins and a pronounced upward pointing mouth are characteristic. This species has small eyes that lie near the top of its big head. The mouth slants sharply above a ponderous lower jaw and the upper jaw extends past the eye (with mouth closed). There are exposed scales on the rear of the body and buried scales on the front of the body. This fin includes approximately 70 spines and unites with the caudal and anal fins. It has a low, spiny dorsal fin that runs along the entire back. The dorsal and anal fins also show spots. The body is pale reddish brown with rows of dark blotches that are tinged with yellow and violet. The giant wrymouth is an elongate, eel-like fish with a broad head that is flat on top.

Monofilament recovery and recycling program.

Giant flat fish