| Debeeriidae Temporal range: Mississippian | |
|---|---|
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| Life reconstruction of Debeerius , the type genus | |
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| Life reconstruction of Heteropetalus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Holocephali |
| Order: | † Debeeriiformes Grogan & Lund, 2000 |
| Family: | † Debeeriidae Grogan & Lund, 2000 |
| Type genus | |
| Debeerius Grogan & Lund, 2000 | |
| Genera | |
| Synonyms | |
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Debeeriidae is a family of holocephalan fishes from the Mississippian subperiod of the Carboniferous. It is the only family of the order Debeeriiformes. [1] It is named after the type genus, Debeerius , which itself is named in honor of Gavin de Beer. Members of this family and order possess a spine on the first dorsal fin, an opercular cover over the gills, [2] and an autodiastylic (two-jointed) jaw suspension. [3] Both genera in the family are known from exceptionally well-preserved specimens found in the Bear Gulch Limestone member of the Heath Formation. [2] [3]
