金龙鱼化石的鳞片和骨骼碎片在过去时有报道,但鉴定并非十分可靠,因为在骨舌鱼科鱼类中这些鳞片和骨骼十分相似。首次记述了保存完美的金龙鱼化石,标本产于湖南湘乡下湾铺组和湖北松滋洋溪组,确立为骨舌鱼科金龙鱼属一新种:中华金龙鱼Scleropages sinensis sp.nov.。新种与现生金龙鱼(Scleropages)在头部骨骼、尾骨骼、各鳍的形状和位置以及具有网状鳞片等方面极为相似,因而归入该属。然而,新种在以下特征上不同于金龙鱼的现生种:鼻骨无纹饰,鼻骨上的感觉管显露于沟内,感觉管联合不经过顶骨,翼耳骨侧向加厚,眶前骨上的感觉孔大,眼眶后的眶下骨不完全覆盖前鳃盖骨上支,其宽高比例为0.75而非现生种的1–1.2,前鳃盖骨后下角变尖,鳃盖骨后下缘凹形、下端变尖,匙骨背突长大,脊椎46–48,椎体横突短小,胸鳍十分长大,上下两端的尾鳍条和内部鳍条等长。亚洲的现生种发现于各种河流和小溪中,比较喜欢水草茂盛的静水环境,一般游弋于表层水中,以鱼虾、昆虫等为食,新种中华金龙鱼也应该有相似的生长环境和食性。新种似具有性二形性,雄鱼体形略纤细,头部略大,口裂更深。中华金龙鱼化石的发现,说明金龙鱼属(Scleropages)和骨舌鱼属(Osteoglossum)在早始新世以前就已经分化,这对解释骨舌鱼类的跨洋分布具有十分重要的意义。 Scales and bone fragments of the arowana fossils have been reported in the past, but the identification is not very reliable, as the scales and bones are very similar in bony fish. For the first time, the best-preserved arowana fossils were described. Specimens were collected from Xiawanpu Formation in Xiangxiang, Hunan Province and Songyangyangxi Formation in Hubei Province. They were established as Scleropages sinensis sp. Nov. The new species and the present-day Scleropages are closely related to the shape and location of the head bones, caudal bones, fins, and reticular scales. However, the new species differs from the present species of Arowana in that the nasal bone is unwrapped, the sensory tube on the nasal bone is revealed in the groove, the sensory tube is unopposed to the parietal bone, the lateral wing of the wing is thick, Of the sensory hole, orbital bones behind the orbital imperfectly covered the upper branch of the former, the aspect ratio of 0.75 instead of the current species of 1-1.2, after the former point of the lower exoccopy angle gills, The lower edge of the concave shape, the lower end of the spine, spine dorsum, spine 46-48, vertebral transverse process is very short, very large pectoral, upper and lower ends of the tail fin and internal fin length. Emerging species in Asia are found in a variety of rivers and streams, preferring the lush hydrological environment of aquatic plants, generally cruising in the surface water, feeding on fish and shrimp, insects, etc. The new species of Arowana should also have a similar growth environment And food habits. The new species resembles a sexually dimorphic, male slender body slightly slender, slightly larger head, mouth cracking deeper. The discovery of the Chinese arowana fossils shows that Scleropages and Osteoglossum have been differentiated before the Early Eocene, which is of great significance in explaining the transatlantic distribution of the Osteoid fish.