Euctenius fossil map
Where fossils of Euctenius have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 300 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 300 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Ancient fish & sharks |
|---|---|
| Lived | 315.2–307 million years ago (Moscovian) |
| Periods | Carboniferous |
| Family | Edestidae |
| Named by | Traquair 1881 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United Kingdom |
| Rock formations | txn:209102 |
About Euctenius
Euctenius is an extinct genus of vertebrate containing a single species, Euctenius unilateralis. It was initially described as the tooth of the petalodont genus Ctenoptychius or as a genus of edestid, although it more likely represents the copulatory organ of an amphibian. Fossils of Euctenius have been uncovered in Scotland and England and date to the Late Carboniferous period. Identical structures are known to have been paired around the cloaca of Opiderpetonids and were most likely used to clasp while mating. The edge of the structure is finely serrated, and it is covered in enamel.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Euctenius (revision 1306629605), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q121890056.
