Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues)
- Rhynchorhinus branchialis
- Rhynchorhinus major
Elopiformes (Tarpon / Tenpounders)
- Elops sp.
- Esocelops cavifrons
- Protarpon (Megalops) oblongus
- Protarpon (Megalops) priscus
- Promegalops sheppeyensis
- Promegalops signeuxae
- Bucklandium diluvii
- Undescribed catfish
Aulopiformes (Grinners & Lizardfish)
Holocentriformes (Soldier fish)
- Myripristis toliapicus
- Naupygus bucklandi
- Paraberyx bowerbanki
Scombriformes (Mackerel & Tuna)
- Enniskillenus radiatus
- Bramoides brieni
- Goniocranion arambourgi
- Eocoelopoma colei
- Eocoelopoma curvatum
- Eocoelopoma gigas
- Micrornatus hopwoodi
- Scombramphodon crassidens
- Scombramphodon sheppeyensis
- Duplexdens (Scombrinus) macropomus
- Scombrinus nuchalis
- Sphyraenodus priscus
- Tamesichthys decipiens
- Wetherellus brevior
- Wetherellus cristatus
- Wetherellus longior
- Woodwardella patellifrons
- Palaeocybium proosti
- Undescribed Scombrid #1
- Undescribed Scombrid #2
- Progempylus edwardsi
- Eutrichurides winkleri
- Gempylid Incertae sedis
- Undescribed Gempylid #1
- Trichurides sagittidens
Carangiformes (Jack Mackerels)
- Cylindracanthus rectus
- Hemirhabdorhynchus elliotti
- Acestrus elongatus
- Acestrus ornatus
- Aglyptorhynchus sulcatus
- Aglyptorhynchus venablesi
- Xiphiorhynchus priscus
- Percostoma angustum
- Plesioserranus wemmeliensis
- Serranopsis londinensis
- Undescribed Serranid #1
- Undescribed Serranid #2
Acanthuriformes (Luvar fish)
- Beerichthys ingens
- Beerichthys sp.
Progempylus edwardsi
Scientific Classification
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
Order: Scombriformes
Family: Gempylidae (Snake Mackerels)
Genus: Progempylus
Species: edwardsi (Casier 1966)
Progempylus edwardsi is a London Clay fish species known from only 2 specimens – The holotype in the collection of the NHM and a second specimen found recently by local collectors. It’s a representative of the Gempylidae family containing Snake Mackerel and Escolars.
This deep-sea predatory fish has a very elongated, slender skull with sharp, backward-facing teeth which is very representative of this group.
The illustration, from George Cuvier’s ‘Histoire naturelle des poissons’ (1828-1849) and represents a modern Escolar similar to what Progempylus might have looked like.

- No evidence of sclerotic ossicle in orbit on holotype (1)
- Sharp, long posterior-facing teeth (2)
- Long, flat frontal bones on top of cranium (3)

3D scans undertaken by Tom Sermon with permission. From the collections of the Natural History Museum, London
CT scans kindly provided by the Natural History Museum, London and used with permission.


Beckett, H et al. (2018) Morphology and phylogenetic relationships of fossil snake mackerels and cutlassfishes (Trichiuroidea) from the Eocene (Ypresian) London Clay Formation
Casier, E. (1966) Fauna ichthyologique du London Clay. British Museum Natural History London, 1966, 1-496
Monsch, K (2005) Revision of the scombroid fishes from the Cenozoic of England
Raynor, Mitchell, Clouter (2009) London Clay Fossils of Kent and Essex