Ptyctodontids
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Ptyctodontids
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Rhamphodopsis
''Rhamphodopsis'' is a genus of extinct ptyctodont placoderm from the Middle Devonian Old Red Sandstone of Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the .... Species There are two species of ''Rhamphodopsis'' recognized. ''R. thrieplandi'' This is the type species, and the smaller of the two described species, the adult total length being up to 7 centimeters. The median dorsal spine is shorter than the anterior lateral spines. ''R. trispinatus'' This is a much larger, more robust species, the adult total length being up to 12 centimeters. The main way to distinguish small individuals of ''R. trispinatus'' from individuals of ''R. thrieplandi'' is that the median dorsal and anterior lateral spines of ''R. trispinatus'' are both proportionally equal lengths and are propo ...
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Goniosteus
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Australoptyctodus
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Rhynchodus
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Ptyctodus
''Ptyctodus'' is an extinct armour-plated fish of the late Devonian. ''Ptyctodus'' belongs to the family Ptyctodontidae and is of the class Placodermi. They share a close resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Fossils of this armour-plated fish have been found in locations such as in Russia, the Michigan Basis, and Arizona, United States. Description and paleobiology ''Ptyctodus'' species come in a variety of different sizes, measured data shows three specimens being 94 millimeters, 24 millimeters, 22 millimeters in length, 23 millimeters, 6 millimeters, 4 millimeter in height, and 18 millimeters, 7 millimeters, and 4 millimeters in thickness. Through time, an evolutionary morphological trait is that the species within Ptyctodontidae reduce the dermal armour. The dentition of the ''Ptyctodus'' has dental elements that are very similarly observed in ''chimaeroids''. Its dental plates are compressed into a thin cutting edge behind the symphysis and measure 3 inches ...
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Palaeomylus
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Kimbryanodus
''Kimbryanodus'' is a genus of extinct ptyctodontid placoderm fish from the Frasnian of Australia.These placoderms can be told apart from others due to the large eyes, crushing tooth plates, long bodies, reduced armor, and a superficial resemblance to holocephalid fish. The group is so far the only Placoderms known with sexually dimorphic features. The fossils occur as small three dimensional isolated plates. Because of these new specimens the Ptyctodontid grouping got a taxonomic classification, it found that the genus '' Rhamphodopsis'' to be the most basal taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam .... They are divided by having the more basal taxa having a median dorsal spine, a simple spinal plate, and a simple V-shaped overlap of the anterior lateral and the ant ...
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Materpiscis
''Materpiscis'' (Latin for ''mother fish'') is a genus of ptyctodontid placoderm from the Late Devonian located at the Gogo Formation of Western Australia. Known from only one specimen, it is unique in having an unborn embryo present inside the mother, with remarkable preservation of a mineralised placental feeding structure (umbilical cord). This makes ''Materpiscis'' the oldest known vertebrate to show viviparity, or giving birth to live young. Discovery and naming The holotype was found in the Kimberley area of northern Western Australia by Lindsay Hatcher during the 2005 expedition to the Gogo led by John Long of Museum Victoria. Fossils from the Gogo Formation are preserved in limestone nodules, so dilute acetic acid is used to dissolve the surrounding limestone and reveal the fossil, often preserved in three dimensions with minimal distortion. The species was named ''Materpiscis attenboroughi'' in honour of David Attenborough who first drew attention to the significa ...
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Eczematolepis
''Eczematolepis'' is an extinct genus of ptyctodontidan from the Milwaukee Formation of Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M .... Three species are known: ''E. fragilis'', ''E. pustulosus'' and ''E. telleri''.''Eastman, C. R.'' 1898 B, p. 55, fig. 49. 1899 B, p. 283. It was originally classified as the genus ''Acantholepis'' but that name was preoccupied. References Ptyctodontids Givetian extinctions Placoderm genera Fossil taxa described in 1892 {{Placoderm-stub ...
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Destnoporella
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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Ctenurella
''Ctenurella'' (from el, κτείς , 'comb' and el, ουρά , 'tail') is an extinct genus of ptyctodont placoderm from the Late Devonian of Germany. The first fossils were found in the Strunde valley in the Paffrather Kalkmulde. Description As with other ptyctodonts, the armor of ''Ctenurella'' was reduced to a few thin plates on the head and shoulder region. It was also relatively small for a placoderm, at just in length. ''Ctenurella'' had two dorsal fins and the rear of the body was relatively long and low. Most ptyctodonts are presumed to have fed on the ocean floor, but the well-developed fins of this genus indicate that it probably also swam in open waters. ''Ctenurella'' had a long, whip-like tail, large eyes, and robust upper and lower jaw tooth plates. Males also had hook-shaped sex organs, known as claspers. Since analogous features are also found in the unrelated living chimaeras, chimaeras and ptyctodonts are thought to be an example of convergent evolution. ...
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Chelyophorus
The ptyctodontids ("folded-teeth") are placoderms of the order Ptyctodontida, containing the family Ptyctodontidae. With their big heads, big eyes, reduced armor and long bodies, the ptyctodontids bore a superficial resemblance to modern day chimaeras (Holocephali). Their armor was reduced to a pattern of small plates around the head and neck. Like the extinct and related acanthothoracids, and the living and unrelated holocephalians, most of the ptyctodontids are thought to have lived near the sea bottom and preyed on shellfish. On account of their radically reduced armor, some paleontologists have suggested that the Ptyctodontida were not actually placoderms, but actual holocephalians, some primitive group of elasmobranch fish, or even were the ancestors of the holocephalians, including the chimaeras. Thorough anatomical examinations of whole fossil specimens reveal that the profound similarities between these two groups are actually very superficial. The major differences ...
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