Museum Quality Devonian Armored Fossil Fish Bothriolepis

Bothriolepis canadensis

Placodermi, Antiarcha, Bothriolepidae

Geological Time: Upper Devonian

Size: 108 mm in length

Fossil Site: Escumiac Bay, Miguasha, Quebec, Canada


Armored Fossil Fish Bothriolepis canadensisDescription: One of the most widely-recognized of all the ancient armored fishes, this is Bothriolepis. The box-like body was enclosed in armor plates, and provided Bothriolepisprotection from predators. Bothriolepis was the most successful of all the placoderms, with some 100 species known from every continent, including Antarctica. The paired holes housed both the eyes and the nostrils. Some specimens have been sectioned to show the paired lung-like organs and spiral intestine, giving a detailed view of this interesting fish. It had a long pair of pectoral fins which would have helped to lift it from the bottom; its heavy body would have sunk quickly back to the bottom as soon as forward momentum was lost. The Armored Fossil Fishfins possessed spines (see the closeup), and an articulation to the boxlike trunk. It is thought that Bothriolepis grubbed in the mud of its freshwater home, and may also have used its pectorals to stir up the mud that provided its food. Few examples of this unusual fish are offered, and they are always received well by collectors. This is a well preserved example of the trunk, the only part preserved with any degree of frequency, and shows the pectorals as well.

See also: Paleozoic Fish Fossils



l Paleontology & Fossils l Paleobiology and Geologic Timeline l
l Fossil Amber l Ammonite Fossils l Dinosaur and Reptile Fossils l Fossil Kits l
l Crinoids and Echinoderms l Fish Fossils l Fossil Dealers l Insect Fossils l Invertebrate Fossils l
l Plant Fossils l Stromatolites l Trace & Ichnofossils l Trilobite Fossils l Vertebrate Fossils l