Immense Thelodont Fossil Fish from Silurian Scotland

Description: The Thelodontia are a group of fishes most commonly known from their distinctive tooth-like scales. Indeed the term Thelodont , derived from Greek, means nipple tooth. The teeth have a characteristic crown made of dentine. The scales even on a single specimen are quite variable, as can be seen here. Thelodonts are rarely found as complete specimens; those that are show them to be flattened fish, many of which were bottom dwellers. Recent finds of intact specimens from Canada show that they radiated into some deep-bodied forms that swam freely in the water column. These deep-bodied forms may have been more closely allied with jawed fishes than their other relatives. All Thelodonts were extinct by the Upper Devonian.

This is the LARGEST example of the taxon I have ever seen. For comparison, I have included a more “normal” size example. I’ve included a restoration of the similar Lanarkia.