Pteraspididae

Pteraspididae is an extinct family of heterostracan vertebrates. It is an Early Devonian-aged family that contains the stereotypical, torpedo-shaped pteraspidids, such as the type genus, Pteraspis, and its close relatives Errivaspis and Rhinopteraspis, that are popularly thought to have actively swam about in the water column. The elongated rostral plate is thought to help with their hydrodynamic ability. Various genera are found in various marine and estuarine strata of Early Devonian Europe and North America.

Pteraspididae Temporal range: Early to Middle Devonian
Artist's restoration of Larnovaspis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Infraphylum:	Agnatha
Class:	†Pteraspidomorphi
Subclass:	†Heterostraci
Order:	†Pteraspidiformes
Suborder:	†Pteraspidoidei
Family:	†Pteraspididae Claypole, 1885
Type genus
†Pteraspis Kner & Woodward, 1900
Genera
See text
Synonyms
Pteraspidae (paraphyletic)

Genera

• †Althaspis
• †Blieckaspis
• †Brachipteraspis
• †Errivaspis
• †Escharaspis
• †Grumantaspis
• †Helaspis
• †Larnovaspis
• †Loricopteraspis
• †Miltaspis
• †Mitraspis
• †Mylopteraspidella
• †Mylopteraspis
• †Podolaspis
• †Pteraspis
• †Rhinopteraspis
• †Stegobranchiaspis

References

• On the recent discovery of Pteraspidian fish in the upper Silurian rocks of North America. Edward Waller Claypole, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 1885, volume 41, pages 48–64, doi:10.1144/GSL.JGS.1885.041.01-04.10
• Revised classification of Pteraspididae with description of new forms from Wyoming. Robert Howland Denison, Fieldiana. Geology; v. 20, no. 1, doi:10.5962/bhl.title.3330

External links

• Data related to Pteraspididae at Wikispecies
• Pteraspididae at fossilworks.org (retrieved 17 April 2016)
• "Pteraspididae" at the Encyclopedia of Life