Palatinichthys

Palatinichthys is an extinct genus of megalichthyid lobe-fined fish from the early Permian of southwestern Germany. The holotype and only known specimen of the fish was found in sediment belonging to the upper Meisenheim Formation. Though it was first found in 1982 and placed in multiple genera throughout the 1990's and 2000's, the specimen would not be fully described until 2012 were it was then assigned to its own genus. Based on the specimen, Palatinichthys was a medium-sized fish with the mostly complete fossil measuring 38 centimetres (15 in). The general anatomy of the fish is similar to its close relatives though features such as the abnormally-placed intertemporal and sensory pores on the mandible set it apart from other lobe-finned fish. The exact placement of Palatinichthys within Megalichthyidae largely place it as an early branching member of the family. Palatinichthys is believed to have lived in an environment dominated by deltas and large lakes, with the fish living in the deltas. The banks of these deltas would have been covered by a dense assemblage of plants with more arid environments being located further away. This entire area was effected by ashfalls that were a result of a large amount of explosive volcanic activity taking place in the region during this time. Other than Palatinichthys, a diverse assemblage of temnospondyls along with a few fish have been found at the formation.