Kochossaolia

Kochossaolia is a genus of extinct ray-finned fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Fossil remains of Kochossaolia have been found in marine deposits in Morocco. The genus was first described by Louis Taquet and Mohamed Zaydou in 1981.

The type species, Kochossaolia mirabilis, is known from a partial skeleton. This species had a relatively elongated body with numerous fin rays. Its teeth suggest a diet of smaller invertebrates or fish. Kochossaolia is classified within the order Amiiformes, a group that includes modern-day bowfins. However, Kochossaolia represents an early and extinct lineage within this order.

The discovery of Kochossaolia in North Africa contributes to our understanding of the distribution and diversity of ancient fish faunas in the Tethys Sea, which was a major marine ecosystem during the Mesozoic Era. Its presence alongside other marine vertebrates provides insights into the paleoenvironment and food webs of the Late Cretaceous coastal regions of Africa. Further research on its skeletal anatomy continues to refine its phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history within ray-finned fishes.