Peltopleuriformes

Potanichthys is a fossil genus of thoracopterid fish found in deposits from China dating to the Ladinian age of the Middle Triassic epoch. The type species is P. xingyiensis, though P. wushaensis is considered as the alternative species name. It is known to have been the first vertebrate ever to have glided over water, and thus the first fish ever that had over-water gliding strategy. The genus name Potanichthys is a portmanteau of the Ancient Greek ποτάνος (potanos, winged/flying) and ιχθύς (ichthys, fish). The species epithet refers to Xingyi city which is near the site where Potanichthys wa

Thoracopterus is an extinct genus of overwater gliding ray-finned fish from the Carnian age of the Late Triassic. It is a monotypic taxon, with the type species being T. niederristi.

Thoracopteridae is an extinct family of prehistoric bony fish classified with the order Peltopleuriformes, containing four genera: Thoracopterus, Gigantopterus, Potanichthys and Italopterus. This lineage of Triassic flying fish-like Perleidiformes converted their pectoral and pelvic fins into broad wings very similar to those of their modern counterparts. However, this group is not related to modern flying fish from the family Exocoetidae, instead being a case of convergent evolution.

Habroichthys is an extinct genus of peltopleuriform ray-finned fish from the Middle Triassic, and is the only genus of the monotypic family Habroichthyidae. Fossils of the fish have been found in a number of countries being Slovenia, Italy, and China. Species within the genus were small with the largest species having a standard length of only . Due to their small size, the preservation of the skull bones of the fish are usually poorly preserved, resulting in species being identified by the number of flank scales along with the placement of certain fins on the body. Within their environment, H