Boreaspis Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
CGI reconstruction of B. rostrata | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | † Osteostraci |
Order: | † Benneviaspidida |
Family: | † Boreaspididae |
Genus: | †
Boreaspis Stensiö, 1927 |
Species | |
|
Boreaspis (meaning " Boreas's Shield") is an extinct genus of osteostracan agnathan vertebrate that lived in the Devonian period.
Fourteen different species of Boreaspis have been found in sandstone of the lagoons and estuaries of Devonian Spitsbergen; however, some of these likely do not belong to the genus. [1] The species B. robusta and B. costata have been reassigned to Spatulaspis; and B. circinus, B. curtirostris, and B. gracilis now belong to Dicranaspis. [2]
Species of Boreaspis were very small, with head shields about 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long. [3] All species possessed a long spathe-like rostrum derived from the anterior-most end of the head shield, which would have enhanced the fish's hydrodynamics and was probably also used to root out food buried beneath the substrate. [4]
Boreaspis Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
CGI reconstruction of B. rostrata | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | † Osteostraci |
Order: | † Benneviaspidida |
Family: | † Boreaspididae |
Genus: | †
Boreaspis Stensiö, 1927 |
Species | |
|
Boreaspis (meaning " Boreas's Shield") is an extinct genus of osteostracan agnathan vertebrate that lived in the Devonian period.
Fourteen different species of Boreaspis have been found in sandstone of the lagoons and estuaries of Devonian Spitsbergen; however, some of these likely do not belong to the genus. [1] The species B. robusta and B. costata have been reassigned to Spatulaspis; and B. circinus, B. curtirostris, and B. gracilis now belong to Dicranaspis. [2]
Species of Boreaspis were very small, with head shields about 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long. [3] All species possessed a long spathe-like rostrum derived from the anterior-most end of the head shield, which would have enhanced the fish's hydrodynamics and was probably also used to root out food buried beneath the substrate. [4]