Pteraspididae is an extinct family of
heterostracan vertebrate
Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain.
The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...
s. It is an Early Devonian-aged family that contains the stereotypical,
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 pteraspidids, such as the
type genus
In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name.
Zoological nomenclature
According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...
, ''
Pteraspis
''Pteraspis'' (from 'wing' or 'fin' and 'shield') is an extinct genus of pteraspidid heterostracan jawless fish. It lived from the Lochkovian to Eifelian epochs of the Devonian period in what is now Brazil (Eifelian Maecuru Formation), Br ...
'', and its close relatives ''
Errivaspis'' and ''
Rhinopteraspis'', that are popularly thought to have actively swam about in the water column. The elongated
rostral
Rostral may refer to:
Anatomy
* Rostral (anatomical term), situated toward the oral or nasal region
* Rostral bone, in ceratopsian dinosaurs
* Rostral organ, of certain fish
* Rostral scale
The rostral scale, or rostral, in snakes and other sca ...
plate is thought to help with their hydrodynamic ability. Various genera are found in various marine and estuarine strata of Early Devonian Europe and North America.
Genera
* †''
Althaspis''
* †''
Blieckaspis''
* †''
Brachipteraspis''
* †''
Errivaspis''
* †''
Escharaspis''
* †''
Grumantaspis''
* †''
Helaspis''
* †''
Larnovaspis''
* †''
Loricopteraspis''
* †''
Miltaspis''
* †''
Mitraspis''
* †''
Mylopteraspidella''
* †''
Mylopteraspis''
* †''
Podolaspis''
* †''
Pteraspis
''Pteraspis'' (from 'wing' or 'fin' and 'shield') is an extinct genus of pteraspidid heterostracan jawless fish. It lived from the Lochkovian to Eifelian epochs of the Devonian period in what is now Brazil (Eifelian Maecuru Formation), Br ...
''
* †''
Rhinopteraspis''
* †''
Stegobranchiaspis''
References
* On the recent discovery of Pteraspidian fish in the upper Silurian rocks of North America. Edward Waller Claypole, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 1885, volume 41, pages 48–64,
* Revised classification of Pteraspididae with description of new forms from Wyoming. Robert Howland Denison, Fieldiana. Geology; v. 20, no. 1,
External links
*
Pteraspididae at fossilworks.org(retrieved 17 April 2016)
*
Pteraspidiformes
Devonian jawless fish
Early Devonian fish
Prehistoric jawless fish families
Early Devonian first appearances
Early Devonian extinctions
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