Lepidotes

Lepidotes is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The name Lepidotes is derived from the Greek words "lepis" meaning scale and "odous" meaning tooth, referring to its distinctive scaled body and toothed jaws. These fish are known from fossilized remains found in marine and freshwater deposits across Europe, North America, and India. Lepidotes typically possessed a deep body, often covered in rhomboidal ganoid scales, which are thick and enamel-covered. Their jaws were lined with numerous small, blunt teeth, suggesting a diet of hard-shelled invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans. Some species, like Lepidotes minor, were relatively small, while others could reach lengths of over a meter. The exact evolutionary relationships of Lepidotes are debated, but it is generally placed within the order Semionotiformes, a group of primitive actinopterygians. The widespread distribution and long temporal range of Lepidotes indicate its success as a widespread and adaptable fish during the Mesozoic Era.