What is the order of extinct fishes called?
Q: What is the order of extinct fishes called?
A: The order of extinct fishes is called Arthrodires (Arthrodira).
Q: How long did the arthrodires survive for?
A: The arthrodires survived for about 50 million years.
Q: What feature do arthrodires share with birds and some ichthyosaurs?
A: Arthrodires share a bony ring around their eye sockets with birds and some ichthyosaurs.
Q: How large was Dunkleosteus, one of the largest members of this group?
A: Dunkleosteus, one of the largest members of this group, was a true superpredator that measured 3 to 9 m in length.
Q: What is the misconception about arthrodires?
A: The misconception about arthrodires is that they were sluggish bottom-dwellers that were outcompeted by more advanced fish.
A common misconception is the arthrodires were sluggish bottom-dwellers that were outcompeted by more advanced fish. But during their reign, the arthrodires were one of the most diverse and numerically successful vertebrate orders of the Devonian. They occupied a vast spectrum of roles from apex predator to detritus-nibbling bottom dweller. The arthrodires were one of many groups eliminated by the mass extinctions of the late Devonian. This let other fish such as sharks diversify into the vacant ecological niches during the Carboniferous period.
Q: How did Arctolepis look like?
A: Early arctolepis, such as genus Arctolepis, had well-armoured bodies with flattened shapes.
Q: What type surface did placoderms use for biting?
A: Placoderms used sharpened edges on a bony plate as a biting surface instead distinct teeths .
