Rhamphodopsis
Appearance
Rhamphodopsis Temporal range: Middle Devonian
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Genus: | Rhamphodopsis Watson 1934
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Type species | |
Rhamphodopsis thrieplandi Watson 1934
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species | |
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Rhamphodopsis is a genus of extinct ptyctodont placoderm from the Middle Devonian Old Red Sandstone of Scotland.[1]
Species
There are two species of Rhamphodopsis recognized.
R. thrieplandi
This is the type species, and the smaller of the two described species, the adult total length being up to 7 centimeters. The median dorsal spine is shorter than the anterior lateral spines.
R. trispinatus
This is a much larger, more robust species, the adult total length being up to 12 centimeters. The main way to distinguish small individuals of R. trispinatus from individuals of R. thrieplandi is that the median dorsal and anterior lateral spines of R. trispinatus are both proportionally equal lengths and are proportionally longer than those of R. thrieplandi.
References
- ^ Denison, Robert (1978). Handbook of Paleoichthyology, Volume 2, Placodermi. New York: Gustav Fischer Verlage. p. 32. ISBN 9780895740274.
- Fossils (Smithsonian Handbooks) by David Ward (Page 197)