Rhombichthys

Rhombichthys Temporal range: Cenomanian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Artist's reconstruction
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Superorder:	Clupeomorpha
Order:	†Ellimmichthyiformes
Family:	†Paraclupeidae
Subfamily:	†Paraclupeinae
Genus:	†Rhombichthys Khalloufi et al., 2010
Species:	†R. intoccabilis
Binomial name
†Rhombichthys intoccabilis Khalloufi et al., 2010

Rhombichthys intoccabilis is an extinct clupeomorph described from the town of Ein Yabrud, in the West Bank. It lived during the Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch.[1]

The adults of R. intoccabilis had a very deep, scute-covered belly. In conjunction with the high, triangular dorsal fin, the belly gives the fish a rhombus-shaped body profile, hence the generic name. The juveniles, in contrast, had a far shallower belly, having a rounded profile.

References

1. Bouziane Khalloufi, René Zaragüeta-Bagils & Hervé Lelièvre (2010). "Rhombichthys intoccabilis, gen. et sp. nov. (Ellimmichthyiformes, Clupeomorpha, Teleostei), from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Ein Yabrud, Middle East: anatomial descriptions and phylogenetic implications". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (1): 57–67. Bibcode:2010JVPal..30...57K. doi:10.1080/02724630903409089. S2CID 86625975.