Explore this animal in Size of Extinct Animals ↗
208 / Paleozoic
Arandaspis
Arandaspis prionotolepis
It lacked jaws and paired fins, but its head and gill region were enclosed within strong armor.
View original image · 1536 × 1024- Time range
- About 480–470 million years ago
- Final stage
- Early Ordovician
- Geographic range
- Gondwanan shallow sea · Central Australia
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Arandaspis?
Arandaspis (Arandaspis prionotolepis) was an extinct organism known from About 480–470 million years ago, with a range in Gondwanan shallow sea · Central Australia.
Life and ecology
Arandaspis propelled itself with its tail and probably collected tiny organic particles above the seabed. Fine scales covered the body behind its broad shield.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Arandaspis disappear?
Later jawless fishes with more stable fins and new armor diversified, but a younger fauna does not by itself show that they replaced this early branch.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Arandaspis?
Head-shield pieces, body scales and a few associated fossils reveal the eye position, gill openings and tail outline.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Rewrote an extinction cause that presented environmental or faunal turnover as established; it is now given as context the record does not prove.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS