Mioplosus

Name Meaning: Less/fewer swimmers

Location Found: Kemmerer, Wyoming

Geologic Era: Eocene

Size: Up to 16 inches in length (most much smaller)

Estimated Range: North America (Green River Formation)

Extinction: Middle Eocene

This Mioplosus is small to mid sized for the species, and shares its plate with a roughly average sized Knightia. I am not certain of the translation for the name, since I am not exactly fluent in Latin and Greek. If my translation is correct, it could be an indication of the relatively rare nature of Mioplosus in the Green River Formation. Mioplosus would have been a mid-sized predator in its environment, but could easily have fallen prey to larger fish such as Phaerodus. Mioplosus is occasionally found with smaller fish stuck in its mouth, meaning it died while trying to swallow them. Unlike Knightia, which are often found in mass mortality groups, Mioplosus is almost always found alone. This probably means that Mioplosus was a solitary hunter once it reached adulthood, though may have formed schools as juveniles.