Osteolepidida Temporal range: 396–299 Ma Middle Devonian to Late Carboniferous |
|
---|---|
Osteolepis. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
Class: | Sarcopterygii |
Subclass: | Tetrapodomorpha |
Superorder: | Osteolepidida* |
Clades | |
|
Osteolepidida, also known as osteolepiformes, are a group of prehistoric lobe-finned fishes which appeared first time during the Devonian period. The order contains five families: Canowindridae, Megalichthyidae, Osteolepidae, Thysanolepidae and Tristichopteridae. The superorder is generally considered to be paraphyletic because the characters that define it are mainly attributes of stem tetrapodomorphs.
Below is a cladogram showing the paraphyly of Osteolepiformes compiled and modified from Ahlberg and Johanson (1998). See also Swartz 2012. The Osteolepiformes are marked by the green bracket.