Ctenurella

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ctenurella is an extinct genus of fish living in the Devonian epoch. It was named after its discoverer, John Cten, who found a nearly complete fossil in 1932.

Ctenurella was a placoderm. These fishes were known for their armored plating, but in Ctenurella the armor was reduced to some thin plates on the head and shoulder region. It is presumed to have fed on the ocean floor, but its well-developed fins indicate it probably also swam in open waters. Ctenurella is an example of convergent evolution, having developed claspers (penis-shaped sex organs). These are also found in cartilaginous fish such as sharks. Also, Ctenurella had a long, whip-like tail, large eyes and an upper jaw which was fused to the skull. These features are also seen in the unrelated chimaeras.

This fish-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

	This paleontology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.