Extinct genus of fishes
Cyclopoma (from , 'circular' and 'cover') is an extinct genus of marine percomorph fish from the Eocene. It is known from the Ypresian to the Lutetian of Europe and eastern North America.
It is alternatively classified in either the Percichthyidae (which otherwise contains only species from South America and Australia) or in the Centropomidae (represented by modern snooks).
The following species are known:
An indeterminate species is known from the Lutetian-aged Lutetian limestone of France.
As its name suggests, "C. gigas" was a large fish that could reach up to in length. It likely inhabited brackish waters close to river mouths.
It has been alleged that Louis Agassiz struggled with excavating the type specimen of "C. spinosum", despite continuously studying it. For two nights, he dreamed of the specimen appearing fully restored, and on the third night, sketched his vision of the restored specimen while half-awake. When he continued preparing the fossil specimen the following day, the fully excavated specimen was allegedly found to be exactly as he had dreamed and sketched.
References.
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