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.

Protopteraspididae
Temporal range: Early Devonian
Protopteraspis gosseleti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Infraphylum: Agnatha
Class: Pteraspidomorphi
Subclass: Heterostraci
Order: Pteraspidiformes
Family: Protopteraspididae
Genera

Genera

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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

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

Doryaspis

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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

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Miltaspis

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Stegobranchiaspis

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Unarkaspis

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"Trygonaspis"

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"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

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