Spathobathis
Encyclopedia
Spathobathis is an extinct genus of ray
from the Jurassic
period of Europe.
Spathobathis had a body similar to that of a modern guitarfish
, being highly flattened and widened, specializing the creature for a life on the ocean floor. Although it is one of the earliest known fossil rays, it already resembled modern forms in a number of ways. Like them, its eyes and spiracle
s were located atop the head, its mouth and gill
slits were positioned on the underside of the body, and it had greatly expanded pectoral fins for swimming.
Distinctive features of Spathobathis included flattened teeth, suitable for eating shellfish
, and an elongated snout that was presumably used to probe for food on the muddy sea floor.
Batoidea
Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fish commonly known as rays and skates, containing more than 500 described species in thirteen families...
from the Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
period of Europe.
Spathobathis had a body similar to that of a modern guitarfish
Guitarfish
The guitarfish are a family, Rhinobatidae, of rays. The guitarfish are known for an elongated body with a flattened head and trunk and small ray like wings. The combined range of the various species is tropical, subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. They often travel in large...
, being highly flattened and widened, specializing the creature for a life on the ocean floor. Although it is one of the earliest known fossil rays, it already resembled modern forms in a number of ways. Like them, its eyes and spiracle
Spiracle
Spiracles are openings on the surface of some animals that usually lead to respiratory systems.-Vertebrates:The spiracle is a small hole behind each eye that opens to the mouth in some fishes. In the primitive jawless fish the first gill opening immediately behind the mouth is essentially similar...
s were located atop the head, its mouth and gill
Gill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
slits were positioned on the underside of the body, and it had greatly expanded pectoral fins for swimming.
Distinctive features of Spathobathis included flattened teeth, suitable for eating shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
, and an elongated snout that was presumably used to probe for food on the muddy sea floor.