Saurichthys majiashanensis Tintori et al., 2014 from the Spathian (Lower Triassic) of China, a Predatory Fish with Asymmetrical Upward Thrust

New, well-preserved specimens of Saurichthys majiashanensis Tintori et al., 2014 from the Majiashan quarry (Chaohu, Anhui Province, China) proved this species to be a powerful predatory fish reaching 1 m in length. The skull is very elongated, and the jaws bear teeth of different sizes but relatively small. Scales are arranged in four scale rows that are greatly enlarged in the caudal peduncle, almost totally enclosing it, improving its stiffness. Dorsal and anal fins are very large and show a peculiar free posterior lobe, similar to that of the dorsal fins of sharks, since the endoskeleton of both fins is missing in the posteriormost part, where large modified mid-dorsal and mid-ventral scales lie underneath the free-standing lobe (as it possibly occurs in several other Saurichthys species). The caudal fin is made of very large lobes, with the ventral lobe larger than the dorsal one, implying an upward thrust during the attack. This character appears to be a unique specialization among Saurichthys species and could be related to predation on organisms living near the surface.