Heddleichthys
Encyclopedia
Heddleichthys is a genus
of prehistoric sarcopterygian (lobe-finned "fish"), from the end of the Devonian
period (Famennian
). It was discovered in Dura Den Formation, Scotland
. Heddleichthys is a derived tristichopterid
, the first from Britain.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of prehistoric sarcopterygian (lobe-finned "fish"), from the end of the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
period (Famennian
Famennian
The Famennian is one of two faunal stages in the Late Devonian epoch. It lasted from 374.5 ± 2.6 million years ago to 359.2 ± 2.5 million years ago. It was preceded by the Frasnian stage and followed by the Tournaisian stage and is named after Famenne, a natural region in southern Belgium.It was...
). It was discovered in Dura Den Formation, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Heddleichthys is a derived tristichopterid
Tristichopteridae
Tristichopterids , were a diverse and successful group of tetrapodomorph fishes throughout the Late Devonian stage. They first appeared in the Givetian epoch of the Middle Devonian stage...
, the first from Britain.