Materpiscis

Name meaning:

Mother fish

Period of life:

384–382 million years ago

Period:

Devonian period

Habitat:

Marine environment

Taxonomy:

Placodermes

Countries:

Devonian period Materpiscis | 3D Dinopedia

Eusthenopteron

Furcacauda

Materpiscis (384–382 million years ago)

What does the name mean: “mother fish”

Materpiscis attenboroughi is a remarkable fossil that opens a window into the distant past of our planet. This extinct armored fish lived during the Late Devonian, about 384–382 million years ago. Its remains, discovered in the Gogo Formation of Western Australia, contain an extraordinary secret: inside the fossil, an embryo was found connected to the mother by an umbilical cord or placenta. This makes Materpiscis the oldest known viviparous vertebrate, pushing back the origin of live birth by 200 million years.

Materpiscis belonged to the placoderms — fishes characterized by a bony armor covering the head and anterior part of the body. These fishes were highly diverse in form and size, and Materpiscis, reaching about 30 cm in length, was one of the smaller representatives of the group. In appearance, Materpiscis resembled modern chimaeras: a large head with prominent eyes, a reduced armor, and an elongated body. The tail was extended and adapted for swimming close to the bottom without contacting it. Broad anterior fins indicate that Materpiscis was maneuverable, though not particularly fast.

This fish likely fed on benthic animals with hard shells, as indicated by two crushing dental plates in its mouth, replacing teeth. An unusual feature of Materpiscis was the presence of two small projections at the tip of the snout, the function of which remains unknown.

The discovery of Materpiscis fundamentally changed our understanding of reproduction in ancient fishes. For a long time, it was believed that placoderms laid eggs, like most modern fishes. However, the presence of specialized claspers in male placoderms and smooth bases of pelvic fins in females suggested the possibility of internal fertilization and live birth. Materpiscis became the first definitive evidence supporting this hypothesis. It is a true fossil record of the origin of viviparity in vertebrates. Its discovery has helped scientists better understand the evolution of this reproductive strategy and fill gaps in the history of life on Earth.

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