Rhinodipterus is an extinct genus of prehistoric dipnoan sarcopterygians or lobe-finned fish, that lived in the Frasnian stage of the Devonian period. It is believed to have inhabited shallow, salt-water reefs, and is one of the earliest known examples of marine lungfish.
Palaeobiology
Research based on an exceptionally well-preserved specimen from the Gogo Formation of AustraliaLong & Trinajstic 2010 has shown that Rhinodipterus has cranial ribs attached to its braincase and was probably adapted for air-breathing to some degree as living lungfish are. This could be the only case known for a marine lungfish with air-breathing adaptations.
The jaws of Rhinodipterus were well adapted for resisting high stresses, indicating that it had a powerful bite despite its elongated, gracile snout.
See also
Sarcopterygii List of sarcopterygians List of prehistoric bony fish
References
Clement, A. & Long, J.A. 2010. Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish. Biology Letters 6: 509–512. Long, J.A. & Trinajstic, K. 2010. The Late Devonian Gogo Formation Lagerstatte –Exceptional preservation and Diversity in early Vertebrates. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 38: 665-680
External links Rhinodipterus at rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org