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Onychodus ortoni

Onychodus
Temporal range: Eifelian–Famennian
Devonian
OnychodusDB15.jpg
Restoration
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Sarcopterygii
Order: Onychodontida
Family: Onychodontidae
Genus: Onychodus
Newberry, 1857
Species
Distribution of Onychodus.png
Localities of known Onychodus fossils

Onychodus (/ɒˈnɪkədəs/, from Greek meaning "claw-tooth") is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish which lived during the Devonian period (Eifelian - Famennian stages, around 374 to 397 million years ago). It is one of the best known of the group of onychodontiform fishes. Scattered fossil bones of Onychodus were first discovered in 1857, in North America, and described by John Strong Newberry. Other species were found in Australia, England, Norway and Germany showing that it had a widespread range.

Onychodus was about 2 to 4 meters in length and was a pelagic animal. Like other onychodontiformes, it had a pair of tooth spirals (parasymphysial tooth whorls) bearing tusk-like teeth.

The most well-preserved specimen of Onychodus has been found at the Gogo Formation of Western Australia giving palaeontologists more information about the structure of the fish. Other species of Onychodus are known only from poor material based on isolated tusks, teeth and scales.


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