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.
Ampheristus toliapicus
Scientific Classification
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
Order: Ophidiiformes (Cusk-eels)
Family: Ophididae
Genus: Ampheristus
Species: toliapicus (Konig 1825)
Ampheristus toliapicus is a fascinating and rare fish from the London Clay and reflects the only ‘cusk-eel’ described.
The top of the skull is very distinctive versus other fish from the London clay – most notably for the presence of an enormous supraoccipital crest at the rear of the skull. The mouth opening is incredibly wide and many fossils have been found preserved with the jaws wide open. On the specimens I’ve examined, I’ve seen no evidence of teeth.
This image shows an extant Brotula cusk-eel, a modern relative to Ampheristus.
Brotula barbata (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Observed in Cabo Verde by Sylvain Le Bris (licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
- No sclerotic ossicle in eye orbit (1)
- Enormously large supraoccipital crest (2)
3D scans undertaken by Tom Sermon with permission.
3D scans undertaken by Tom Sermon with permission.
3D scans undertaken by Tom Sermon with permission.
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