Chirocentrites

{{Short description|Extinct genus of ray-finned fishes}}

{{Speciesbox

| fossil_range = {{fossil range|97|93.5|Late Cenomanian|earliest=Albian}} Possible Albian record

| image = Chirocentrites coroninii.jpg

| image_caption = Life restoration of C. coroninii

| taxon = Chirocentrites coroninii

| authority = Heckel, 1849

| parent_authority = Heckel, 1849

}}

Chirocentrites is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish in the order Ichthyodectiformes. It contains a single species, C. coroninii, from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Slovenia (locality also sometimes given as Gorizia, Italy).{{Cite web |title=PBDB Taxon |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=35247 |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=paleobiodb.org}}{{Cite journal |last=Cavin |first=Lionel |last2=Forey |first2=Peter L. |last3=Giersch |first3=Samuel |date=2013 |title=Osteology of Eubiodectes libanicus (Pictet & Humbert, ) and some other ichthyodectiformes (Teleostei): phylogenetic implications |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772019.2012.691559 |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |language=en |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=115–177 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2012.691559 |issn=1477-2019|url-access=subscription }} A potential specimen is also known from the Albian-aged Pietraroja Plattenkalk of southern Italy, but it has been suggested that this specimen actually represents Cladocyclus.{{Cite journal |last=Bucci |first=Enrico |date=2005 |title=A new ichthyodectid fish from the lower Cretaceous of Pietraroja (Southern Italy) |url=https://www.academia.edu/2689003/A_new_ichthyodectid_fish_from_the_lower_Cretaceous_of_Pietraroja_Southern_Italy_ |journal=www.PalArch.nl, vertebrate palaeontology |volume=2 |issue=3}}

Another species sometimes classified in this genus, Spathodactylus (or Chirocentrites) neocomiensis Pictet, 1858 from the Hauterivian of France, appears to be morphologically distinct from Chirocentrites and needs taxonomic revision. Two other species (C. microdon Heckel, 1849 and C. gracilis Heckel, 1849) from the Cenomanian of Croatia and Slovenia are now placed in the genus Heckelichthys. The species "C." guinensis from the Aptian/Albian of Equatorial Guinea & Gabon likely belongs to another genus, possibly Cladocyclus.{{Cite journal |last=Taverne |first=Louis |date=2008 |title=Considerations about the Late Cretaceous genus Chirocentrites and erection of the new genus Heckelichthys (Teleostei, Ichtyodectiformes) - A new visit inside the ichthyodectid phylogeny. |url=https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/rbins-publications/bulletin-of-the-royal-belgian-institute-of-natural-sciences-earth-sciences/bulletin-of-the-royal-belgian-institute-of-natural-sciences-earth-sciences/taverne_considerations_2008 |journal=Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique - Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen |volume=78 |pages=209–228}}