Moythomasia

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Moythomasia
Temporal range: Middle Devonian–Late Devonian
Moythomasia nitida Ob Devon Bergisch Gladbach D Ch932.jpg
Moythomasia nitida Gross 1953 from the Devonian (Givetian) of Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Moythomasiidae
Kazantseva, 1971
Genus: Moythomasia
Gross, 1950 non Whitley, 1951
Species
  • M. devonica(Clarke, 1885)
  • M. durgaringaGardiner & Bartram, 1977
  • M. lebedeviPlax, Bakaev & Naugolnykh, 2025
  • M. lineataChoo, 2015
  • M. nitidaGross, 1953
  • M. perforata(Gross, 1942)
Synonyms
  • AldingeriaGross, 1942 non Moy-Thomas, 1942

Moythomasia (named for James Alan Moy-Thomas) [1] is an extinct genus of early ray-finned fish from the Devonian period, known from fossils found in Europe and Australia.

Moythomasia was a small freshwater fish, measuring about 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in length. It had relatively large eyes, likely to help it locate prey in murky water. Its body was covered in specialized ganoid scales; the upper side of each scale featured a small pin that perfectly fit into a hollow on the lower side of the adjacent scale. This unique structure provided both armor and flexibility. [2]

Species

Reconstruction of M. durgaringa (top), M. nitida (middle), and M. lineata (bottom) based on Brian Choo's (2015) skeletal restoration Moythomasia.jpg
Reconstruction of M. durgaringa (top), M. nitida (middle), and M. lineata (bottom) based on Brian Choo's (2015) skeletal restoration

References

  1. Alexander, R. McNeill (1975). The chordates. London; New York : Cambridge University Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN   978-0-521-20472-9.
  2. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 35. ISBN   1-84028-152-9.