Tristichopteridae
Encyclopedia
Tristichopterids were a diverse and successful group of tetrapodomorph fishes throughout the Late Devonian
stage. They first appeared in the Givetian epoch of the Middle Devonian stage. Within the group sizes ranged from a few tens of centimeters (Tristichopterus
) to several meters (Hyneria
and Eusthenodon
).
Some tristichopterids share some of the features of the elpistostegalia
ns, a paraphyletic assemblage of fishes close to the origin of tetrapods. This mainly concerns the shape of the skull and a reduction in size of the posterior fins.
An old and persistent notion is that Eusthenopteron
was able to crawl onto land using its fins. However, there is no evidence actually supporting this idea. All tristichopterids went extinct by the end of Late Devonian
.
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...
stage. They first appeared in the Givetian epoch of the Middle Devonian stage. Within the group sizes ranged from a few tens of centimeters (Tristichopterus
Tristichopterus
Tristichopterus is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period. Tristichopterus belongs to the family Tristichopteridae....
) to several meters (Hyneria
Hyneria
Hyneria was a prehistoric predatory lobe-finned fish that lived during the Devonian period around 360 million years ago. It was approximately 4 meters in length and weighed as much as two tons...
and Eusthenodon
Eusthenodon
Eusthenodon is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish. Eusthenodon lived during the Late Devonian period , around 385 to 359 million years ago. Remains of Eusthenodon have been found in Greenland, Russia, South Africa and more recently in Belgium for the first time...
).
Some tristichopterids share some of the features of the elpistostegalia
Elpistostegalia
Elpistostegalia or Panderichthyida is an order of prehistoric lobe-finned fishes which lived during the Late Devonian period . They represent the advanced tetrapodomorph stock, the fishes more closely related to tetrapods than the osteolepiform fishes...
ns, a paraphyletic assemblage of fishes close to the origin of tetrapods. This mainly concerns the shape of the skull and a reduction in size of the posterior fins.
An old and persistent notion is that Eusthenopteron
Eusthenopteron
Eusthenopteron is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which has attained an iconic status from its close relationships to tetrapods. Early depictions of this animal show it emerging onto land, however paleontologists now widely agree that it was a strictly aquatic animal...
was able to crawl onto land using its fins. However, there is no evidence actually supporting this idea. All tristichopterids went extinct by the end of Late Devonian
Late Devonian extinction
The Late Devonian extinction was one of five major extinction events in the history of the Earth's biota. A major extinction, the Kellwasser Event, occurred at the boundary that marks the beginning of the last phase of the Devonian period, the Famennian faunal stage, , about 374 million years ago...
.
Genera of Tristichopterids
- CabonnichthysCabonnichthysCabonnichthys is an extinct genus of Tristichopterid fish that lived in the Late Devonian period of Australia....
- CanningiusCanningiusCanningius is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which belonged to the family of Tristichopteridae.-External links:*...
- EusthenodonEusthenodonEusthenodon is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish. Eusthenodon lived during the Late Devonian period , around 385 to 359 million years ago. Remains of Eusthenodon have been found in Greenland, Russia, South Africa and more recently in Belgium for the first time...
- EusthenopteronEusthenopteronEusthenopteron is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which has attained an iconic status from its close relationships to tetrapods. Early depictions of this animal show it emerging onto land, however paleontologists now widely agree that it was a strictly aquatic animal...
- HyneriaHyneriaHyneria was a prehistoric predatory lobe-finned fish that lived during the Devonian period around 360 million years ago. It was approximately 4 meters in length and weighed as much as two tons...
- JarvikinaJarvikinaJarvikina is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period. Jarvikina named after the Swedish palaeontologist Erik Jarvik....
- LanglieriaLanglieriaLanglieria is a genus of prehistoric sarcopterygian , from the end of the Devonian period . It was discovered in Belgium....
- MandageriaMandageriaMandageria is an extinct genus of lobe-finned fish. Mandageria lived in the Late Devonian period...
- NotorhizodonNotorhizodonNotorhizodon is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period . It belonged to the family of Tristichopteridae fishes. Fossils have been found in Antarctica and described by Young et al. in 1992. Notorhizodon probably lived in freshwaters....
- PlatycephalichthysPlatycephalichthysPlatycephalichthys is a genus of tristichopterid lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period....
- TristichopterusTristichopterusTristichopterus is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period. Tristichopterus belongs to the family Tristichopteridae....