Gastrolepidia
Gastrolepidia is a genus of extinct armored fish that lived during the Late Devonian period, approximately 385 to 359 million years ago. These fish were members of the placoderm group, which were characterized by bony armor plates covering their heads and bodies. Gastrolepidia was a relatively small placoderm, typically reaching lengths of around 30 centimeters (12 inches). They possessed a unique combination of primitive and derived features, making them valuable for understanding the evolution of placoderms.
Common Names
Gastrolepidia does not have any widely recognized common names.
Characteristics
Gastrolepidia possessed several distinctive characteristics, including:
- A flattened, streamlined body shape.
- A pair of large, forward-facing eyes.
- A broad, flattened head covered in bony plates.
- A small, pointed snout.
- A pair of pectoral fins located just behind the head.
- A dorsal fin positioned near the middle of the back.
- A caudal fin (tail fin) that was likely heterocercal, meaning it was asymmetrical with the upper lobe larger than the lower lobe.
Environment
Gastrolepidia inhabited shallow marine environments, likely living in coastal areas or estuaries. Their flattened body shape and large eyes suggest they were bottom-dwelling predators, using their sharp teeth to capture prey.
References
Gastrolepidia - a osteolepiform placoderm from the Upper Devonian of Scotland
The morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the Late Devonian placoderm Gastrolepidia