The type species, Australosomus merlei from Madagascar, was first described as Pristisomus merlei by Ferdinand Priem. A new genus, Australosomus, was later erected for this species by Jean Piveteau.[5]
Most species were marine, except for the African species, which were found in freshwaterdeposits.
The genus name Australosomus ("southern body") is inaccurate, as Australosomus is known as far north as Canada and Greenland, although the first known remains were described from Madagascar.
Australosomus was an elongate fish. The interlocking scales (3 to 4 times long as wide), deeply forked caudal fin all help to distinguish this genus.[10] It achieved standard lengths of about 100 mm (3.9 in) to 310 mm (12 in).[4]
^"Part 7- Vertebrates". Collection of genus-group names in a systematic arrangement. Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
^ abLudvigsen, Rolf & Beard, Graham. 1997. West Coast Fossils: A Guide to the Ancient Life of Vancouver Island. pg. 78-79
^ abcRomano, Carlo; Koot, Martha B.; Kogan, Ilja; Brayard, Arnaud; Minikh, Alla V.; Brinkmann, Winand; Bucher, Hugo; Kriwet, Jürgen (2016). "Permian-Triassic Osteichthyes (bony fishes): diversity dynamics and body size evolution". Biological Reviews. 91 (1): 106–147. doi:10.1111/brv.12161. PMID25431138. S2CID5332637.
^Piveteau, Jean (1930). "Particularités structurales d'un type nouveau de poisson fossile des formations permo-triasiques du nord de Madagascar". Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences (in French). 191: 456–458.
