#ichthyostega

My 25 years of palaeoart chronology...

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Ichthyostega

Discovered in Greenland, the Ichthyostega (meaning "fish roof") is a good example of transitional fossil for vertebrates, showing well the passage from fish to tetrapods. It is one of the earliest known vertebrates to possess recognizable limbs; their structure suggests that they were capable of bearing the weight of the body on land, though their primary function was probably to make way in the debris-rich waters of the Late Devonian swamplands. The body superficially resembled that of a large salamander in general shape, though this predator still sported several traits typical of fish, such as a low and flat skull that gives the genus its name and that may indicate the presence of both lungs and gills. Like many other stem-tetrapods, the Ichthyostega showed polydactyly and the hindlimbs ended with seven fingers, while the hands are yet to be found.

My Paleozoic is Purple!

Hurdia - Lunataspis - Marella

Dalmanites - Sacabambaspis - Cheirurus

Pterygotus - Waukesha Butterfly Animal - Venustulus

Coelacanthus - Estemmenosuchus - Stethacanthus

Ichthyostega - Meganeura - Schinderhannes bartelsi

"Small Fish In a Big Pond" Ichthyostega/Eastmanosteus Devonian, 362 million years ago, Rheic Ocean

An early tetrapodomorph, Ichthyostega was amongst the first vertebrates to transition to land (and I mean amongst!). With eight toes on its hind feet and gills, it still shared many traits with earlier lobe-finned fish. Unlike today's crawling tetrapods, Ichthyostega's limb arrangement was best suited to flopping around like a seal.

Although it was so basal on the tetrapod family tree, Ichthyostega was already far removed from the ocean. This young individual has learned this the hard way after a storm washed it out to sea.

Eastmanosteus is a dunkleosteid placoderm. Unlike its bigger relative, Dunkleosteus, Eastmanosteus was built more like a shark as opposed to some submarine tank. These two are investigating the strange nub-finned animal that's floundering about in their domain. With guillotines for mouths, even a test bite would be lethal.