Boreaspis
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Extinct (fossil)
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| Boreaspis | |
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| Type | jawless fish |
| Length | 5,2 in (13 cm) |
| Movement | swimming |
| Age | 410 million years ago |
| Diet | carnivore |
| Environment | ocean floor |
| Distribution | Spitsbergen |
Boreaspis is an extinct genus of primitive jawless fish that lived in the Devonian epoch.
Fourteen different species of Boreaspis have been found in sandstone of the lagoons in Spitsbergen. The creature had a tough shield covering its head, with extra protective spikes protruding from the cheek regions. It also had a long spike on its snout, the so-called rostrum. This pointy spine made the creature very streamlined in shape and was probably also used to burrow for food on the ocean floor.
[edit] References
Long, John A. The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8018-5438-5
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