Protopteraspididae

Protopteraspididae; Temporal range: Early Devonian
	Protopteraspis gosseleti
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Infraphylum:	Agnatha
Class:	†Pteraspidomorphi
Subclass:	†Heterostraci
Order:	†Pteraspidiformes
Family:	†Protopteraspididae
Genera
	Protopteraspis; Doryaspis; Escharaspis; Miltaspis; Stegobranchiaspis; Unkaraspis; "Trygonaspis";

Protopteraspididae is an extinct family of pteraspidid heterostracan agnathans. Fossils of the various genera are found in early Devonian-aged marine strata. Protopteraspidids were once thought to represent a taxon of basal pteraspidids (hence "proto") but recent evaluations demonstrate that Protopteraspididae is a paraphyletic group of various transitional forms representing a gradual transition between the more advanced Pteraspoidei (comprising Pteraspididae, Gigantaspis and Protaspididae),^[1] and the anchipteraspidids and the Psammosteids.

Genera

Protopteraspids are found in Lower Devonian marine strata of the Western United States, Northern Canada, England, France, Belgium, Svalbard, Norway, and Podolia, Ukraine.^[2]

Protopteraspis

This genus is known from several species from Lower Devonian England, France and Belgium

Doryaspis

This is a genus of aberrant pteraspidids with lower lips elongated into long, dagger-like organs of unknown function. The various species are primarily restricted to the Lower Devonian strata of Svalbard.

Escharaspis

Miltaspis

Stegobranchiaspis

Unarkaspis

"Trygonaspis"

"Trygonaspis" is a nomen nudum given to a beautifully preserved complete armor that strongly resembles Protopteraspis in form, but with a long, recurved dorsal spine, and orbital plates that have bookshelf-like extensions. The only known specimen was found in Northern Canada.

References

^ Pernegre, Vincent N., and David K. Elliott. "Phylogeny of the Pteraspidiformes (Heterostraci), Silurian–Devonian jawless vertebrates." Zoologica Scripta 37.4 (2008): 391-403.
^ Blieck, Alain. "Les hétérostracés Ptéraspidiformes, agnathes du Silurien-Dévonien du continent Nord-Atlantique et des blocs avoisinants: Révision systématique, phylogénie, biostratigraphie, biogéographie." (1984).

Palaeos Vertebrates entry on order Pteraspidiformes

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[elliotetal-1] Pernegre, Vincent N., and David K. Elliott. "Phylogeny of the Pteraspidiformes (Heterostraci), Silurian–Devonian jawless vertebrates." Zoologica Scripta 37.4 (2008): 391-403.

[blieck-2] Blieck, Alain. "Les hétérostracés Ptéraspidiformes, agnathes du Silurien-Dévonien du continent Nord-Atlantique et des blocs avoisinants: Révision systématique, phylogénie, biostratigraphie, biogéographie." (1984).

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[2]