tarinoi

Tarinoi is a genus of extinct ray-finned fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils of Tarinoi have been found in marine deposits in what is now North America, particularly in the Western Interior Seaway. These fish are known from a limited number of fossil specimens, providing valuable insights into the ichthyofauna of ancient Cretaceous seas.

The genus Tarinoi is characterized by several distinct skeletal features, though detailed anatomical descriptions are based on incomplete fossil remains. Like other ray-finned fish, Tarinoi possessed fins supported by bony rays. Its exact ecological role and diet are not well understood due to the limited fossil evidence, but it is presumed to have been a marine organism inhabiting the waters of the seaway.

The discovery of Tarinoi contributes to our understanding of fish evolution and the biodiversity of Cretaceous marine ecosystems. Further discoveries or more complete fossil specimens could provide a more detailed picture of this ancient fish and its place within the broader context of vertebrate paleontology. The current classification places Tarinoi within the order Osteoglossiformes, although its precise phylogenetic relationships are still subject to ongoing research and interpretation by paleontologists.