| Lanarkia
sp.
Class Agnatha,
Order Thelodontiformes Family Katoporidae
Geological
Time: Upper Silurian (385 Million Years Old)
Size: 50
mm
Fossil Site:
Seggholm, Muikirk, Ayrshire, 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. 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 high-quality specimen that has recently been
obtained
from a 50 year old collection shows the distinctive scales.
Also
see: Paleozoic Fish
Fossils |
|
