Osteolepis
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| Osteolepis Fossil range: Middle Devonian |
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Osteolepis ('bone scale') is an extinct genus of coelacanthiform lobe-finned fish from the Devonian period. It was about 20 cm (8 in) long. It lived in Antarctica.
Osteolepis was covered with large, square scales; the scales and plates on its head were covered in a thin layer of spongy but bony material called cosmine. This layer contained canals which were connected to sensory cells deeper in the skin. These canals ended in pores on the surface, allowing the fish to sense vibrations.
Its had almost the same characteristics as the tetrapods, which puts Osteolepis, and its close relatives, near the tetrapod family tree.
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