Named By: | Zerina Johanson & Per E. Ahlberg. 1998 |
Time Period: | Late Devonian |
Location: | Australia, New South Wales |
Size: | About 90 centimetres long |
Diet: | Carnivore/Piscivore |
Fossil(s): | At least one skull |
Classification: | | Chordata | Sarcopterygii | Rhizodontida | Rhizodontidae | |
Gooloogongia ( GUU-luu-GONG-gee-a) is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which belonged to the group of Rhizodont fishes. Gooloogongia lived during the Late Devonian period (Famennian stage, about 360 million years ago). Fossils have been found in the Canowindra site, (Australia). It was named by Dr. Zerina Johanson and Dr. Per Ahlberg in 1998. In general size and shape Gooloogongia is similar to the modern saratoga which lives in the tropical rivers of northern Australia.
Gooloogongia loomesi ("Loomes' Gooloogong") named after Bruce Loomes, the foreman of the 1993 excavation of the Canowindra site, and the town of Gooloogong, NSW.