Dictionary > Sarcopterygian

Sarcopterygian

Definition
noun, plural: Actinopterygians
Any of a group of Osteichthyes characterized primarily by their lobed fins
Supplement
Osteichthyes is taxonomic superclass of the phylum Chordata (chordates) and includes groups of fish that have skeletons mainly composed of bone tissues. This superclass includes the ray-finned fish (actinopterygians) and lobe-finned fish (sarcopterygians). The sarcopterygians belongs to the taxonomic class Sarcopterygii, which came from the Greek words sarx (meaning “flesh”) and ptérux (meaning “wing, fins”).
The sarcopterygians are characterized by their fleshy lobed fins as opposed to the actinopterygians that have distinct ray fins. Most bony fish belong to the Actinopterygii. There are only eight living species of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) including the lungfish and coelacanths. Some species of lobe-finned fish have jointed bones.
Most members of the superclass Osteichthyes are actinopterigians. There are relatively few species of sarcopterygians. This class has only two extant subclasses, Rhipidistia and Actinistia. Rhipdidistia, also referred to as dipnotetrapodomorphs , includes the tetrapods and the lungfish. Actinista contains the coelacanths, such as the West Indian Ocean coelacanth and the king of the sea (Indonesian coelacanth).
Scientific classification:

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Superclass: Osteichthyes
  • Class: Sarcopterygii Romer, 1955

Synonym(s):

  • lobed-finned fish
  • See also:

    • Osteichthyes
    • ray-finned fish


    You will also like...

    genes controlling growth and development
    Control of Growth & Development

    Control of Growth & Development tutorials look at how the genetic makeup determines the biological processes on a da..

    DNA carries genes coding for proteins
    Genetic Information and Protein Synthesis

    Genes are expressed through the process of protein synthesis. This elaborate tutorial provides an in-depth review of the..

    Balanced Diet
    A Balanced Diet – Minerals and Proteins

    Proteins and minerals can be derived from various dietary sources. They are essential for the proper growth and developm..

    A chart depicting Mendel's Law of Dominance
    Mendel’s Law & Mendelian Genetics

    One of Mendel’s law of inheritance is the “law of dominance”. Read this tutorial to know more about this form of i..

    vitamins
    A Balanced Vitamin Diet – Vitamins A – K

    A balanced diet is essential to a healthy organism. Insufficiency or too much of a particular element or compound, such ..

    Gene Pool and Speciation
    The Gene Pool and Population Genetics

    According to Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, preferable genes are favored by nature in the gene pool, and ..

    Related Articles...

    No related articles found

    See all Related Topics