#antiarchi

[mesozoicmarket]

A pair of fossilized partial placoderm head shield from a Bothriolepis canadensis from the Escuminac Formation in Escuminac Bay, Quebec, Canada. Bothriolepis was a highly prolific genus of armored fish found across the world. This specimen was purchased from an old collection in the 1970s.

[astronomy-to-zoology]

Genus: Bothriolepis

...an extinct genus of antiarch placoderms that lived during the late Devonian period. This genus was largely successful with over 100 species that lived throughout the Devonian. Most members of Bothriolepis were freshwater benthic detritivores, although some were probably able to enter saltwater as well. Some paleontologists hypothesize that live salmon they lived their lives in saltwater and returned to freshwater to breed. Like other antiarches Bothriolepis had a heavily armored head that was attached to a thoratic shield. It also had a long pair of pectoral fins, these fins were likely used to lift it off the bottom as its heavy armor would have made it sink when it lost momentum. It might have also used its fins to throw sediment over itself.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Chordata-Placodermi-Antiarchi-Bothriolepididae-Bothriolepis

Images: Citron and Haplochromis

[usosque-blog]

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