Holoptychius
Encyclopedia
Holoptychius is an extinct genus of porolepiform lobe-finned fish from the Devonian
period. It is known from fossils worldwide.
Holoptychius was streamlined predator about 50 centimetres (19.7 in) long, which fed on other bony fish. Its rounded scales and body form indicate that it could have swum quickly through the water to catch prey. Similar to other rhipidistia
ns, it had fang-like teeth on its palate
in addition to smaller teeth on the jaws. Its asymmetrical tail sported a caudal fin on its lower end. To compensate for the downward push caused by this fin placement, Holoptychiuss pectoral fins were placed high on the body.
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
period. It is known from fossils worldwide.
Rhipidistia
The Rhipidistia were lobe-finned fishes that are the ancestors of the tetrapods. Taxonomists traditionally considered the Rhipidistia a subgroup of Crossopterygii that described a group of fish that lived during the Devonian consisting of the Porolepiformes and Osteolepiformes...
ns, it had fang-like teeth on its palate
Palate
The palate is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals. It separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. A similar structure is found in crocodilians, but, in most other tetrapods, the oral and nasal cavities are not truly separate. The palate is divided into two parts, the anterior...
in addition to smaller teeth on the jaws. Its asymmetrical tail sported a caudal fin on its lower end. To compensate for the downward push caused by this fin placement, Holoptychiuss pectoral fins were placed high on the body.