Stichopterus

Stichopterus
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous,
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acipenseriformes
Family: Peipiaosteidae
Genus: Stichopterus
Reis, 1909
Other species
  • Stichopterus gracilis (Rohon, 1890)
  • Stichopterus popovi Jakovlev, 1986
  • Stichopterus reissi Jakovlev, 1977
  • Stichopterus woodwardi Reis, 1909

Stichopterus is an extinct genus of chondrostean ray-finned fish that lived during the Early Cretaceous epoch in Asia. It has been found in Russia (Murtoi Formation) and Mongolia.

The type species, Stichopterus woodwardi, was named and described in 1909. Since then, up to three other species have been named or were reallocated to Stichopterus, respectively.

Stichopterus is similar to Peipiaosteus from China. Both genera belong to the family Peipiaosteidae, together with Liaosteus, Spherosteus, and Yanosteus. Peipiaosteidae are extinct relatives of Modern sturgeons and paddlefishes (Acipenseroidei).