Aspidorhynchus

Aspidorhynchus (from Ancient Greek ἀσπίς (aspís), meaning "shield", and ῥύγχος (rhúnkos), meaning "snout") is an extinct genus of predatory ray-finned fish from the Middle Jurassic to the earliest Cretaceous. Fossils have been found in Europe, Antarctica and the Caribbean.

Aspidorhynchus was a slender, fast-swimming fish, some species reach long, with tooth-lined, elongated jaws. It also had heavy scales and a symmetrical tail. The upper jaw was longer than the lower jaw, ending in a toothless spike. Although it would have looked superficially similar to the present day gars, it was not related to them, belonging to the Aspidorhynchiformes, an extinct group of fish noted for their elongated rostrums. Aspidorhynchiformes are generally considered early relatives of teleosts.