Cheiracanthus Temporal range: Middle Devonian
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Fossil of Cheiracanthus latus at the London Natural History Museum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | †Acanthodii |
Order: | †Acanthodiformes |
Family: | †Cheiracanthidae |
Genus: | †Cheiracanthus Agassiz, 1835 |
Type species | |
† Cheiracanthus murchisoni |
Cheiracanthus (from Greek: χείρ kheír, 'hand' and Greek: ἄκανθα akantha, 'spine')[1] is an extinct genus of a group of fish called Acanthodii (or "spiny sharks").[2] It was a deep-bodied acanthodian about 12 in. (30 cm) in length. It had a blunt head, upturned tail, and fins protected by spines. Unlike many other acanthodians, it had one, solitary dorsal fin. Cheiracanthus swam at mid-depth in lakes and rivers, seizing small prey in its gaping jaws. Whole fossils of this fish occur only in Mid-Devonian rocks in Scotland, but its distinctive small, ornamented scales crop up around the world, as far south as Antarctica.