Bawitius
Name: Bawitius.
Phonetic: Bah-wit-e-us.
Named By: B. S. Grandstaff, J. B. Smith,
M. C. Lamanna , K. J. Lacovara & M. S.
Abdel-Ghani - 2012.
Classification: Chordata, Actinopterygii,
Chondrostei, Polypteriformes, Polypteridae.
Species: B. bartheli (type).
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore?
Size: Up to 3 meters long.
Known locations: Egypt - Bahariya Formation.
Time period: Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Bones and scales.
Bawitius was a prehistoric relative to the Polypterus genus of fish that we know today, which is also a popular fish amongst aquarium keepers. However comparison between fossils of Bawitius compared with Polypterus, indicate that Bawitius was much larger, potentially reaching sizes up three meters long. Aside from other large fish such as sharks, predatory threats to Bawitius may have come from spinosaurid dinosaurs such as the huge Spinosaurus.
Further reading
- Bawitius, gen. nov., a giant polypterid (Osteichthyes,
Actinopterygii) from the Upper Cretaceous Bahariya Formation of
Egypt. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32 (1):
17–26. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.626823 - B. S.
Grandstaff, J. B. Smith, M. C. Lamanna , K. J.
Lacovara & M. S. Abdel-Ghani - 2012.
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