Dipterus | 3D Dinopedia

Dipterus

Period of life:

393–382 million years ago

Period:

Devonian period

Habitat:

Freshwater environment

Taxonomy:

Bony fish

Height:

0.05 m

Countries:

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Dipterus (393–382 million years ago)

Name meaning: “Two‑winged” (from Greek di — “two” and pteron — “wing”).

Dipterus was a remarkable fish that lived in the late Middle Devonian, around 393–382 million years ago. The Devonian—often called the “Age of Fishes”—saw an explosion of aquatic diversity, and Dipterus held a special place within it. It belonged to the lungfishes, possessing both gills and primitive lungs, which allowed it to breathe in water as well as atmospheric air.

Reaching about 35 cm in length, Dipterus had an elongated, spindle‑shaped body covered with large cosmoid scales. Its head, reminiscent of that of rhipidistians, lacked true teeth but bore ribbed tooth plates on the palate that helped it crush the shells of molluscs and the carapaces of crustaceans. Its paired pectoral fins had robust, fleshy bases—much like those of ancient lobe‑finned fishes—allowing Dipterus not only to swim but also to “walk” along the bottoms of shallow waters while foraging.

Dipterus preferred shallow freshwater habitats, feeding on small invertebrates such as crustaceans. Its ability to breathe atmospheric air gave it a major advantage in swampy waters where oxygen levels were often low. It may even have been able to haul itself briefly onto land, using its fins for limited movement.

Its anatomy and way of life display transitional features between fishes and tetrapods, making Dipterus an important taxon for paleontologists studying the fish–to–land vertebrate transition.

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