Diandongpetalichthys


Diandongpetalichthys baojiaoshanensis is an extinct petalichthid placoderm from the Early Devonian of China.

Fossils

Several specimens, in the forms of one complete and several incomplete skull roofs, disarticulated portions of the trunk shield, and spines, are known, found from earliest Devonian aged Liaojiaoshan Hill of Qujing, Yunnan, a non-marine portion of the Xishancun Formation, in the Cuifengshan Group.

Phylogeny

The holotype of D. baojiaoshanensis is a poorly preserved, incomplete skull roof, and was, at the time of its description in 1978, regarded as "Petalichthyida incertae sedis. In light of more, better preserved specimens that show features in common with primitive arthrodires, such as actinolepids and the phlyctaeniids, D. baojiaoshanensis is now regarded as a basal petalichthyid.