Elipostegidae Temporal range: Devonian |
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Fossil skull | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Sarcopterygii |
Family: | Elipostegidae |
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Elpistostegidae is an extinct family of tetrapod-like fish that lived in the Late Devonian period (Late Givetian to Early Frasnian). Fossils of skull and a part of the backbone have been found at Escuminac Formation in Quebec, Canada. Recently, the entire fossil of the fish was found in the same formation. It is proposed by the palaeontologist Richard Cloutier at Université du Québec à Rimouski that Elpistostege may dethrone Tiktaalik in the position of the nearest fish from the tetrapods. Family based on cladistic affinities compiled by Swartz, 2012.