Dipnorhynchus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dipnorhynchus Fossil range: Early to Late Devonian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sarcopterygii Subclass: Dipnoi Family: Dipnorhynchidae Genus: Dipnorhynchus

Dipnorhynchus is an extinct genus of lungfish from the Devonian period. It was about 90 cm (3 ft) long.

Dipnorhynchus was a primitive lungfish, but still it had features that set it apart from other sarcopterygians. Its skull lacked the joint that divided the skull in two in rhipidists and coelacanths. Instead, it was a solid bone structure similar to that of the first tetrapods. Instead of teeth Dipnorhynchus had tooth-like plates on the pallet, which, in turn, was fused with the brain case.