2.3 Acanthodes

Acanthodian fish first appear in the Late Ordovician and die out in the Early Permian. They are of particular interest because they represent some of the earliest jawed vertebrates and may therefore provide clues to the origin of this highly successful feeding structure.

Above: Elements of Acanthodes.

This specimen of Acanthodes is not easy to interpret, but includes material from the jaws and gills. See if you can identify any of the jaw and gill elements.

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