Eusthenopteron foordi, Devonian; CAN
Rare! Piece of a fin.
Known site for these fossils.
Eusthenopteron is an extinct genus of Sarcopterygii, commonly referred to as lobe-finned fish, that lived in North America and Europe during the Upper Devonian. These fish are considered important ancestors of the tetrapods, the first land-living vertebrates, as they exhibit features that illustrate the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life. These include the structure of their fins, which developed into limbs. The anatomy of Eusthenopteron already shows some tetrapod-like features, particularly in the composition of the humerus (upper arm bone), which indicates the later development of the limbs. These fish may have used their powerful fins to prop themselves up in shallow waters, similar to push-ups, which is interpreted as a step towards land walking. Despite these adaptations, they remained restricted in their ability to move and were mainly bound to aquatic life.
Age: Devonian, Fransnian;
Locality: Scaumenac Bay, near the city of New Brunswick, province of Quebec, Canada
Size of matrix: approx. 5 x 7 x 0.5 cm
Colors on product photos may differ from those of the original specimen due to technical reasons.
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