Name: Aleosteus
(Dice bone - the first part of the name is a reference to an
aanceint dice game and Nevada’s gambling connections).
Phonetic: Al-e-os-te-us.
Named By: H. G. Johnson, D. K. Elliott
& J. H. Wittke - 2000.
Classification: Chordata, Vertrbrata,
Placodermi, Arthrodira, Actinolepidae.
Species: A. eganensis
(type).
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore.
Size: Uncertain. Head shield is roughly 62-63
millimetres across.
Known locations: USA, Nevada - Sevy Dolomite
Formation.
Time period: Emsian of the Devonian.
Fossil representation: Partial head shield.
Aleosteus was a small arthrodire placoderm fish that seems to have been nowhere close to the size of giant arthrodire placoderms like Dunkleosteus and Titanichthys. Aleosteus was probably a predator of other small placoderms and possible invertebrates. As a member of the Actinolepidae, Aleosteus is a primitive arthrodire placoderm.
Further reading
- A new actinolepid arthrodire (Class Placodermi) from the Lower
Devonian Sevy Dolomite, East-Central Nevada, H. G. Johnson,
D. K. Elliott & J. H. Wittke - 2000.
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