Entelognathus | 3D Dinopedia

Entelognathus

Period of life:

424-419 mya

Period:

Silurian period

Habitat:

Marine environment

Taxonomy:

Placodermes

Height:

0.05 m

Countries:

Silurian period Entelognathus | 3D Dinopedia

Entelognathus (424-419 mya)

Meaning of the name: Full jaw

Entelognathus is a fossil fish that lived during the late Silurian period about 420 million years ago in what is now southern China. This fish was about 20 cm long, with a slightly flattened head, small eyes, and a strong bony "armor" on the front part of its body. The appearance of Entelognathus is quite typical for a placoderm fish. Judging by the body shape and degree of "armor," it led a benthic lifestyle, which is also quite characteristic of placoderm fish. The arrangement of most dermal bones in the skull of this vertebrate, as expected, has little in common with the pattern typical for bony fish. Nevertheless, this ancient fish occupies an intermediate position between placoderms and bony fish based on several important features. This fact indicates a very close relationship between these two groups. This fish or its closest relatives are likely the ancestors of all modern fish and terrestrial vertebrates, including humans.

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