Ateleaspis Explained

Ateleaspis is an extinct genus of primitive ostracoderm fish that lived in the Silurian period (Wenlock Epoch) to the Lower Devonian.^{[1] [2]} Like other ostracoderms, Ateleaspis had a head shield similar to that of Cephalaspis. Species from Silurian period were found in Norway and Scotland, but now has been found also in Siberia from Early Devonian period.

Description

Ateleaspis possibly is the most basal vertebrate with paired fins. Ateleaspis was a small fish (about 15 – 20 cm) and had a flat headshield and a narrow trunk covered by brick-like scales.

External links

• Ateleaspis at Palaeos
• Ateleaspis species location & chronology

Notes and References

1. Ferrón . Humberto G. . Greenwood . Jenny M. . Deline . Bradley . Martínez‐Pérez . Carlos . Botella . Héctor . Sansom . Robert S. . Ruta . Marcello . Donoghue . Philip C. J. . 2020 . Cavin . Lionel . Categorical versus geometric morphometric approaches to characterizing the evolution of morphological disparity in Osteostraci (Vertebrata, stem Gnathostomata) . Palaeontology . en . 63 . 5 . 717–732 . 10.1111/pala.12482 . 218926737 . 0031-0239.
2. Book: Afanassieva, Olga Borisovna. . The exoskeleton of Ungulaspis and Ateleaspis (Osteostraci, Agnatha) from the Lower Devonian of Severnaya Zemlya, Russia . 1228830520.