Rhinodipterus Explained

Rhinodipterus is an extinct genus of prehistoric dipnoan sarcopterygians or lobe-finned fish, that lived in the Devonian Period, between 416 and 359 million years ago. It is believed to have inhabited shallow, salt-water reefs,^[1] and is one of the earliest known examples of marine lungfish. Research based on an exceptionally well-preserved specimen from the Gogo Formation of Australia^[2] has shown that Rhinodipterus has cranial ribs attached to its braincase and was probably adapted for air-breathing to some degree as living lungfish are.^[3] This could be the only case known for a marine lungfish with air-breathing adaptations.^[4]

See also

• Sarcopterygii
• List of sarcopterygians
• List of prehistoric bony fish

References

• Clement, A. & Long, J.A. 2010. Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish. Biology Letters 6: 509–512.
• Long, J.A. & Trinajstic, K. 2010. The Late Devonian Gogo Formation Lagerstatte –Exceptional preservation and Diversity in early Vertebrates. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 38: 665-680

External links

• Rhinodipterus at rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org

Notes and References

1. Web site: 375 million year old fossil found . 2010-02-10 . 2010-02-17 .
2. Long & Trinajstic 2010
3. Clement . A. M. . Long . J. A. . Tafforeau . P. . Ahlberg . P. E. . The dipnoan buccal pump reconstructed in 3D and implications for air breathing in Devonian lungfishes . Paleobiology . 2016-02-11 . 42 . 2 . 289–304 . 10.1017/pab.2015.41 . 2016Pbio...42..289C . 87484464 .
4. Web site: Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish . 2010-02-10 . 2010-03-01 .