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

extinct Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce 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 during the Phanerozoic eon, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the preceding Silurian period at million years ago ( Ma), to the beginning of the succeeding ...

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 ...

–

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

). It is related to the much larger ''

Hyneria ''Hyneria'' is a genus of large prehistoric predatory lobe-finned fish which lived in fresh water during the Famennian stage of the Devonian period. Etymology The genus name ''Hyneria'' is a reference to the village of Hyner, Pennsylvania, n ...

''; although ''Mandageria'' was smaller, likely hunted in a similar manner. The generic epithet, ''Mandageria'', refers to the Mandagery Sandstone, outcropping near

Canowindra Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra (pronounced ) is a historic township and the largest population centre in Cabonne Shire, New South Wales, Cabonne Shire. The town is located between Orange, New South Wales, Orange and Cowra, New South ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, 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 New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

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, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

-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'' (; ) 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). ''Tiktaalik'' is est ...

'', '' Tarrasius'',

placoderms Placoderms (from Ancient Greek πλάξ 'plax'', ''plakos plate' and δέρμα 'dermaskin') are vertebrate animals of the class Placodermi, an extinct group of prehistoric fish known from Paleozoic fossils during the Silurian and the Dev ...

(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 being other exceptions.

References

External links

''Mandageria'' at Palaeos

The braincase and palate of ''Mandageria fairfaxi''

Tristichopteridae Prehistoric lobe-finned fish genera Late Devonian sarcopterygians Devonian sarcopterygians of Australia Symbols of New South Wales {{paleo-tetrapodomorph-stub