This list of acanthodians is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all genera

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 that have ever been included in the subclass Acanthodii

Acanthodii

Acanthodii is a class of extinct fishes, sharing features with both bony fish and cartilaginous fish. In form they resembled sharks, but their epidermis was covered with tiny rhomboid platelets like the scales of holosteans...

, excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful (nomina dubia

Nomen dubium

In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...

), or were not formally published (nomina nuda

Nomen nudum

The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...

), as well as junior synonyms of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered acanthodians.

The list includes 107 genera.

• Extinct
  Extinction
  In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
  
   genera are marked with a dagger (†).
• Extant genera are bolded.

Naming conventions and terminology

Naming conventions and terminology follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...

. Technical terms used include:

• Junior synonym: A name which describes the same taxon as a previously published name. If two or more genera are formally designated and the type specimens are later assigned to the same genus, the first to be published (in chronological order) is the senior synonym, and all other instances are junior synonyms. Senior synonyms are generally used, except by special decision of the ICZN, but junior synonyms cannot be used again, even if deprecated. Junior synonymy is often subjective, unless the genera described were both based on the same type specimen.
• Nomen nudum
  Nomen nudum
  The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
  
  (Latin for "naked name"): A name that has appeared in print but has not yet been formally published by the standards of the ICZN. Nomina nuda (the plural form) are invalid, and are therefore not italicized as a proper generic name would be. If the name is later formally published, that name is no longer a nomen nudum and will be italicized on this list. Often, the formally published name will differ from any nomina nuda that describe the same specimen.
• Nomen oblitum
  Nomen oblitum
  A nomen oblitum is a technical term, used in zoological nomenclature, for a particular kind of disused scientific name....
  
  (Latin for "forgotten name"): A name that has not been used in the scientific community for more than fifty years after its original proposal.
• Preoccupied name: A name that is formally published, but which has already been used for another taxon. This second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced. As preoccupied names are not valid generic names, they will also go unitalicized on this list.
• Nomen dubium
  Nomen dubium
  In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
  
  (Latin for "dubious name"): A name describing a fossil with no unique diagnostic features. As this can be an extremely subjective and controversial designation, this term is not used on this list.

The List

Genus	Status	Age	Location	Description	Images
†Acanthacanthus	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Acanthodopsis	Valid.	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Acanthopora	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Acanthospina	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Acanthodes Acanthodes Acanthodes is an extinct genus of spiny shark. Fossils have been found in Europe, North America, and Australia....	Valid.	Early Devonian. Cisuralian.
†Acritolepis	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Aganacanthus	Valid.	Mississippian.
†Antacanthus	Valid.	Mississippian.
†Antarchtonchus	Valid.
†Apateacanthus	Valid.	Late Devonian.	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Archaeacanthus	Valid.	Middle Devonian.	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Arcticacanthus	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Arenaceacanthus	Valid.		Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Atopacanthus	Valid.	Middle Devonian. Late Devonian.
†Brachyacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Bracteatacanthus	Valid.		Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Brochoadmones	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Bryantonchus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Byssacanthoides	Valid.
†Cacheacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Campylodus	Valid.
†Canadalepis	Valid.
†Carycinacanthus	Valid.	Mississippian.
†Cassidiceps	Valid.	Early Devonian.	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Cheiracanthoides	Valid.	Middle Devonian. Late Devonian.
†Cheiracanthus Cheiracanthus Cheiracanthus is an extinct genus of a group of fish called Acanthodii . It was a deep-bodied acanthodian about 12 in. in length. It had a blunt head, upturned tail, and fins protected by spines. Unlike many other acanthodians, it had one, solitary dorsal fin...	Valid.
†Climatius Climatius Climatius is an extinct genus of spiny shark. Fossils have been found in both Europe and North America....	Valid.
†Ctenacanthus	Valid.		South America South America South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east... .
†Culmacanthus	Valid.
†Devononchus	Valid.	Late Devonian.	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Diplacanthus	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Doliodus	Valid.	Ludlow. Early Devonian.
†Eiffellepis	Valid.	Middle Devonian.
†Erriwacanthus	Valid.
†Endemolepis	Valid.
†Eupleurogmus	Valid.	Mississippian.	Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... .
†Euthacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Fecundosquama	Valid.		Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Gemuendolepis	Valid.	Early Devonian.	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Gladiobranchus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Gomphacanthus	Valid.	Pridoli Prídolí Přídolí is a small town in Český Krumlov District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 583 .... . Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .
†Gomphonchoporus	Valid.
†Gomphonchus	Valid.	Ludlow.	Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Granulacanthus	Valid.	Wenlock Wenlock Wenlock may refer to:Places* Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England* Wenlock Edge, limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock* Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England** Wenlock ** Much Wenlock and Severn Junction railway...  or Ludlow.	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Grenfellacanthus	Valid.
†Gyracanthides	Valid.	Mississippian.
†Gyracanthus Gyracanthus Gyracanthus is an extinct genus of placoderm....	Valid.	Early Devonian. Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .
†Hanilepis	Valid.	Ludlow.
†Haplacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian. Late Devonian.	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Helenacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Helolepis	Valid.
†Holmesella	Valid.	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Homacanthus	Valid.	Middle Devonian. Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... . North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Homalacanthus	Valid.
†Howittacanthus	Valid.
†Ischnacanthus Ischnacanthus Ischnacanthus is an extinct genus of fish in class of Acanthodii. Ischnacanthus lived during the Early Devonian period. The Ischnacanthus have jaws but still have small mosaic scales. They either had very small teeth or none. Fossils were found in Tillywhandland Quarry, Forfar,...	Valid.	Pridoli Prídolí Přídolí is a small town in Český Krumlov District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 583 .... . Early Devonian.
†Kathemacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Latviacanthus	Valid.
†Lodeacanthus	Valid.
†Lupopsyrus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Machaeracanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian. Late Devonian.
†Marsdenius	Valid.	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .
†Mesacanthus Mesacanthus Mesacanthus is an extinct genus of acanthodian fish from early Devonian Scotland. It is among the more primitive of the early Devonian acanthodians....	Valid.
†Monopleurodus	Valid.	Pridoli Prídolí Přídolí is a small town in Český Krumlov District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 583 .... .	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Monospina	Valid.
†Nodocosta	Valid.	Early Devonian. Late Devonian.
†Nodonchus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Nostolepis Nostolepis Nostolepis is an extinct genus of acanthodian fish which lived in the Late Silurian to Middle Devonian . Members of the genus include Nostolepis gracilis and Nostolepis striata....	Valid.	Wenlock Wenlock Wenlock may refer to:Places* Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England* Wenlock Edge, limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock* Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England** Wenlock ** Much Wenlock and Severn Junction railway... . Middle Devonian.	Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Onchus	Valid.	Llandovery Llandovery Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line... . Late Devonian.	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... . North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Oracanthus	Valid.	Mississippian.
†Parexus Parexus Parexus is an extinct genus of acanthodian fish. Acanthodians are often referred to as ‘spiny sharks’, although acanthodians are not true sharks and evolved perhaps 50 million years earlier than sharks. Acanthodians share several features with bony fish and cartilaginous fish; they often have...	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Paucicanthus	Valid.		North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Persacanthus	Valid.	Late Devonian.
†Pinnacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Plectrodus	Valid.
†Protodus	Valid.	Early Devonian. Middle Devonian.	North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Poracanthodes	Valid.	Ludlow.
†Protogonacanthus	Valid.	Late Devonian.
†Pruemolepis	Valid.	Early Devonian. Mississippian.
†Pseudacanthodes	Valid.	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain... .
†Ptomacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Ptychodictyon	Valid.
†Radioporacanthodes	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Rhadinacanthus	Valid.
†Rockycampacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Rohonilepis	Valid.		Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Sabrinacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Sevyacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Sinacanthus	Valid.	Middle Devonian.	Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... .
†Striacanthus	Valid.	Middle Devonian. Late Devonian.	Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... .
†Taemasacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Tetanopsyrus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Triazeugacanthus	Valid.	Late Devonian.
†Traquairia	Valid.
†Traquairichthys	Valid.
†Trundlelepis	Valid.
†Uraniacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Utahacanthus	Valid.
†Vernicomacanthus	Valid.	Early Devonian.
†Vesperalia	Valid.		Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... .
†Watsonacanthus	Valid.		Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya Severnaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Russian high Arctic at around . It is located off mainland Siberia's Taymyr Peninsula across the Vilkitsky Strait... .
†Welteldorifa	Valid.	Middle Devonian.
†Xylacanthus	Valid.		North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... .
†Yealepis	Valid.

See also

• Acanthodians
• List of placoderms
• List of prehistoric bony fish
• List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
• List of prehistoric jawless fish

External links

• Paleobiology Database entry on the class "Acanthodii"