''Mandageria fairfaxi'' (Pronunciation: Man-daj-ee-ree-a fair-fax-i) is an

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

lobe-finned fishAge of Fishes Museum, Canowindra
/ref> that lived during the

Late Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, wher ...

period (

Frasnian The Frasnian is one of two faunal stages in the Late Devonian Period. It lasted from million years ago to million years ago. It was preceded by the Givetian Stage and followed by the Famennian Stage. Major reef-building was under way during th ...

–

Famennian The Famennian is the latter of two faunal stages in the Late Devonian Epoch. The most recent estimate for its duration estimates that it lasted from around 371.1 million years ago to 359.3 million years ago. An earlier 2012 estimate, still used ...

). It is related to the much larger ''

Hyneria ''Hyneria'' is a genus of large prehistoric predatory lobe-finned fish which lived in freshwater during the Devonian period around 360 million years ago. Etymology The genus name ''Hyneria'' is a reference to the village of Hyner, Pennsylvania ...

''; although ''Mandageria'' was smaller, it probably hunted in the same way. The generic epithet, ''Mandageria'', refers to the Mandagery Sandstone, outcropping near

Canowindra Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra (pronounced ) is a historic township and largest population centre in Cabonne Shire and is located between Orange and Cowra in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. The curving main street ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

, where the fossils were found. The specific epithet, ''fairfaxi'', honors the

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

James Fairfax. ''M. fairfaxi'' is the state fossil emblem for

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Description

''Mandageria'' was a large predator about long. It had a long

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, ...

-shaped body and large tail fins. ''Mandageria'' also had large pectoral fins which could have helped it manoeuvre around submerged logs when preparing to attack its prey. ''Mandageria'' had a functional neck joint, an otherwise uncommon feature among fish - ''

Tiktaalik ''Tiktaalik'' (; Inuktitut ) is a monospecific genus of extinct sarcopterygian (lobe-finned fish) from the Late Devonian Period, about 375 Mya (million years ago), having many features akin to those of tetrapods (four-legged animals). It may ha ...

'', ''

Tarrasius Tarasiiformes is an extinct order of prehistoric ray-finned fish. Taxonomy * Order †Tarrasiiformes sensu Lund & Poplin 2002 aplistiaref name="mikko"> ** Family †Tarrasiidae Traquair 1881 emend. Woodward 1891 *** Genus †'' Apholidotos'' ...

'', placoderms (esp.

Arthrodira Arthrodira (Greek for "jointed neck") is an order of extinct armored, jawed fishes of the class Placodermi that flourished in the Devonian period before their sudden extinction, surviving for about 50 million years and penetrating most marine eco ...

) and

seahorses A seahorse (also written ''sea-horse'' and ''sea horse'') is any of 46 species of small marine fish in the genus ''Hippocampus''. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek (), itself from () meaning "horse" and () meaning "sea monster" or " ...

being other exceptions.

References

External links

''Mandageria'' at Palaeos

The braincase and palate of ''Mandageria fairfaxi''

Tristichopterids Prehistoric lobe-finned fish genera Devonian bony fish Prehistoric fish of Australia {{paleo-lobefinned-fish-stub