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Macropetalichthys

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Macropetalichthys rapheidolabis
Temporal range: Early Devonian
Fossil
Scientific classification
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Macropetalichthys

Norwood & Owen, 1846
Type species
Macropetalichthys rapheidolabis
Synonyms[1]
  • Acanthaspis Newberry, 1875
  • Heintzaspis Strand, 1932
  • Ohiodorulites Whitley, 1933

Macropetalichthys is a genus of placoderm fish, named by Norwood and Owen in 1846.[2][3][4] The name "Macropetalichthys" means "armor-plated fish". It was assigned to Arthrodira by Woodward (1891); and to Petalichthida by Sepkoski (2002). The best known species in the genus is the type species, Macropetalichthys rapheidolabis. The type species was originally described from the Deputy Limestone (Devonian) of Indiana, but the specimen on which the name was based was destroyed by fire in 1891.[2] A neotype was designated by Babcock (2025) from the Delaware Limestone (Middle Devonian, Eifelian) of Columbus, Ohio, USA.[2] The species is moderately common in the Columbus Limestone of Ohio, and less common in the Onondaga Limestone of New York, the Silica Shale of Ohio, and in other Early–Middle Devonian formations of midwestern and eastern North America. Two other species are known from Germany.

Life restoration
  • Range: Early-Middle Devonian (Emsian–Eifelian) of North America and Europe.
  • Characters: Like primitive Arthrodira. Dorsoventrally compressed; orbits face dorsally; widely splayed pectoral fins, with cornua common; no post-pectoral plates; plates ornamented with linear rows of tubercles.
  • Life habit: possibly nektobenthic.

Species

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Data from:[2][1]

  • Macropetalichthys agassizi Meyer, 1846
  • Macropetalichthys pelmensis Hennig, 1907
  • Macropetalichthys rhapheidolabis Norwood & Owen, 1846

References

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  1. ^ a b "Macropetalichthys". Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
  2. ^ a b c d Babcock, Loren E. (2025-06-30). "Type Crania of the Devonian Placoderm Macropetalichthys from North America: Resolving Key Nomenclatural and Stratigraphic Conundrums". Fishes. 10 (7): 309. doi:10.3390/fishes10070309. ISSN 2410-3888.
  3. ^ Van Valen, Leigh (1963). "The Head Shield of Macropetalichthys (Arthrodira)". Journal of Paleontology. 37 (1): 257–263. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 1301427.
  4. ^ Eastman, C. R. (1897). "On the Characters of Macropetalichthys". The American Naturalist. 31 (366): 493–499. Bibcode:1897ANat...31..493E. doi:10.1086/276635. ISSN 0003-0147. JSTOR 2452858.