Cheiracanthus
| Cheiracanthus Temporal range: Middle Devonian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fossil of Cheiracanthus latus at the London Natural History Museum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | †Acanthodii |
| Genus: | †Cheiracanthus |
| Type species | |
| †Cheiracanthus murchisoni | |
Cheiracanthus ("hand spine") is an extinct genus of a group of fish called Acanthodii (or "spiny sharks"). It was a deep-bodied acanthodian about 12 in. (30 cm) in length. It had a blunt head, upturned tail, and fins protected by spines. Unlike many other acanthodians, it had one, solitary dorsal fin. Cheiracanthus swam at mid-depth in lakes and rivers, seizing small prey in its gaping jaws. Whole fossils of this fish occur only in Mid-Devonian rocks in Scotland, but its distinctive small, ornamented scales crop up around the world, as far south as Antarctica.
Life restoration of Cheiracanthus murchisoni
See also
References
This article is issued from
Wikipedia.
The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike.
Additional terms may apply for the media files.