Boreaspis
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| Boreaspis Fossil range: Early Devonian |
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Boreaspis ("Boreas' Shield") is an extinct genus of primitive jawless fish that lived in the Devonian period.
Fourteen different species of Boreaspis have been found in sandstone of the lagoons and estuaries of Devonian Spitsbergen. The creature had a tough shield covering its head, with extra protective spikes protruding from the cheek regions. It also had a long spike on its snout, the so-called rostrum. This pointy spine enhanced the fish's hydrodynamics and was probably also used to root out food buried beneath the substrate.
[edit] References
Long, John A. The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8018-5438-5
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