Name:
Cheirolepis (Greek for "hand fin"); pronounced CARE-oh-LEP-iss
Habitat:
Lakes of the northern hemisphere
Historical Period:
Middle Devonian (380 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 2 feet long and a few pounds
Diet:
Other fish
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Diamond-shaped scales; sharp teeth
About Cheirolepis:
The actinopterygii, or "ray-finned fish," are characterized by the ray-like skeletal structures supporting their fins, and account for the vast majority of fish in modern seas and lakes (including herring, carp and catfish). As far as paleontologists can tell, Cheirolepis lay at the base of the actinopterygii family tree; this prehistoric fish was distinguished by its tough, close-fitting, diamond-shaped scales, numerous sharp teeth, and voracious diet (which occasionally included members of its own species). The Devonian Cheirolepis could also open its jaws extremely wide, allowing it to swallow fish up to two-thirds of its own size.
