''Dartmuthia'' is an extinct genus of primitive jawless

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% ...

that lived in the

Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozoi ...

period. Fossils of ''Dartmuthia'' have been found in Himmiste Quarry, on the island of

Saaremaa Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring . The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and west of Muhu island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago. The capital of the islan ...

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...

. It was first described by William Patten. ''Dartmuthia'' is one of the only osteostracans in which material of the trunk and tail behind the armored head shield have been found. Since the mouth is positioned on the underside of the head ''Dartmuthia'' is presumed to have dwelled on the ocean floor, sucking its food into its mouth.

References

Osteostraci genera Fauna of Estonia Silurian fish of Europe {{silurian-animal-stub