Lunaspis Temporal range: Early Devonian |
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Artist's life restoration of Lunaspis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
Infraphylum: | Gnathostomata |
Class: | Placodermi |
Order: | Petalichthyida |
Family: | Macropetalichthyidae |
Genus: | Lunaspis |
Species: | L. heroldi |
Binomial name | |
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Lunaspis ("Moon Shield") is an extinct genus of petalichthyid fish that lived in shallow marine environments of the Early Devonian period. Fossils have been found in Germany, China and Australia.
Lunaspis is flattened fish with short trunk and long, curved cornual plates. These long, spine-like plates give the suggestion of a crescent moon, hence the generic name. The nostrils and the anterior part of the head shield around the orbits, is covered by a number of tiny scales, as is the long trunk.