Placodermi Armored Fossil Fish Bothriolepis canadensis

Description: One of the most widely-recognized of all the ancient armored fishes, this is Bothriolepis. The box-like body was enclosed in armor plates, and provided protection from predators. Bothriolepis was the most successful of all the placoderms, with some 100 species known from every continent, including Antarctica. The paired holes housed both the eyes and the nostrils. Some specimens have been sectioned to show the paired lung-like organs and spiral intestine, giving a detailed view of this interesting fish. It had a long pair of pectoral fins which would have helped to lift it from the bottom; its heavy body would have sunk quickly back to the bottom as soon as forward momentum was lost. The fins possessed spines (see the closeup), and an articulation to the boxlike trunk. It is thought that Bothriolepis grubbed in the mud of its freshwater home, and may also have used its pectorals to stir up the mud that provided its food. This is a well preserved example of the trunk, the only part preserved with any degree of frequency, and shows the pectorals as well.