Damocles (genus)

Damocles
Temporal range:
Specimen of D. serratus housed at the ROM.
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Symmoriiformes
Genus: Damocles
Lund, 1986
Type species
* †Damocles serratus
Lund, 1986
Other species
  • D. attenuatus Davis, 1883

Damocles is a genus of chondrichthyan from the Mississippian age Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana and the city of Armagh, Northern Ireland. Two species, D. serratus and D. attenuatus, have been assigned, with D. attenuatus originally being classified as a species of the form-genus Physonemus. Members of the genus were carnivorous, and males possessed a distinctive serrated, sword-like reproductive organ which was positioned over their head.