Palaeozoic Chordates
22nd March 2008

Here is a small selection of Palaeozoic chordate specimens, with the fishes amongst them representing Superclass Agnatha (jawless fish) and Superclass Gnathostomata (fish with jaws). They range in age from Early Cambrian to Late Carboniferous.

Amongst the jawless fishes we have here representatives of the Cephalaspidomorphi (order Petromyzontiformes) and Heterostraci. Amongst the jawed fishes we have representatives of the Placodermi, Chondrichthyes, Acanthodii, Sarcopterygii and Actinopterygii. The Mazon Creek amphibian, is a great rarity, showing soft-part preservation, but the Linton animal shows even more detail.

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This is clearly not a fish, but it is a possible tunicate. Vetulicolia cuneata, an excellent complete 7 cm example from the Lower Cambrian of Chengjiang, China (see Aldridge et al. 2007 for a review).
This is clearly not a fish, but it is a possible tunicate. Vetulicolia cuneata, an excellent complete 7 cm example from the Lower Cambrian of Chengjiang, China (see Aldridge et al. 2007 for a review).
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Haikouella lanceolata, a craniate-like chordate, 35 mm in length. Ercai Village, Haikou, Kunming; Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale. Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.
Class Heterostraci. Cyathaspis banksi, 42 mm headshield of an early heterostracan fish. Downton Castle Sandstone Formation. Downton Castle, Herefordshire.
Class Heterostraci. Cyathaspis banksi, 42 mm headshield of an early heterostracan fish. Downton Castle Sandstone Formation. Downton Castle, Herefordshire.
 Class Cephalaspidimorphi (order Petromyzontiformes). Mayomyzon pieckoensis a 45 mm complete lamprey. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Class Cephalaspidimorphi (order Petromyzontiformes). Mayomyzon pieckoensis a 45 mm complete lamprey. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
 Gilpichthys greeni, an agnathan fish, 65 mm long. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Gilpichthys greeni, an agnathan fish, 65 mm long. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
 Esconichthys apopyris. An agnathan vertebrate of uncertain affinities, 60 mm long. Note the clearly preserved eyes. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Esconichthys apopyris. An agnathan vertebrate of uncertain affinities, 60 mm long. Note the clearly preserved eyes. Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Class Placodermi. Gemuendina stuertzi. Ray-like placoderm fish, 20 cm wide. Wingertshell Member, Kaub Formation.
Class Placodermi. Gemuendina stuertzi. Ray-like placoderm fish, 20 cm wide. Wingertshell Member, Kaub Formation.
Class chondrichthyes. A beautiful Palaeoxyris shark eggcase fromMazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
Class chondrichthyes. A beautiful Palaeoxyris shark eggcase fromMazon Creek, Illinois, USA.
 Class Acanthodii. Acanthodian (spiny shark) Acanthodes sp, 40 mm long, with well-preserved eyes, spines and tail. Near Morris, Illinois, USA.
Class Acanthodii. Acanthodian (spiny shark) Acanthodes sp, 40 mm long, with well-preserved eyes, spines and tail. Near Morris, Illinois, USA.
 Class Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes). Rhabdoderma exiguum, 45 mm coelacanth. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Coelacanths were relatively abundant in Carboniferous times.
Class Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes). Rhabdoderma exiguum, 45 mm coelacanth. Pit 11, Peabody Coal Mine, Braidwood, Illinois. Coelacanths were relatively abundant in Carboniferous times.
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes). Elonichthys peltigurus, complete 38 mm, palaeoniscoid fish. Near Morris, Illinois, USA.
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes). Elonichthys peltigurus, complete 38 mm, palaeoniscoid fish. Near Morris, Illinois, USA.
 Acantonescus cracens, 142 mm palaeoniscoid fish. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Montana.
Acantonescus cracens, 142 mm palaeoniscoid fish. Heath Shale Formation. Bear Gulch Limestone. Bear Gulch, Montana.
 Phlegethontia longissima, an extremely scarce 45 mm snakelike amphibian from Pit 11, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA. The specimen shows a body impression, as illustrated in another specimen by Anderson (2002).
Phlegethontia longissima, an extremely scarce 45 mm snakelike amphibian from Pit 11, Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA. The specimen shows a body impression, as illustrated in another specimen by Anderson (2002).
 A beautifully preserved Ptyonius nectridian from Linton, Ohio, USA.
A beautifully preserved Ptyonius nectridian from Linton, Ohio, USA.
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