Devonian fossil fish
Cephalarpis sp.
Where was it found?
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Freshwater streams and estuaries
Diet and foraging method
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Swimms along the bottom and moving its head from side to side to stir up bottom sediment and find worms and crustaceans, sifting through detritus
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Key adaptation
Cephalaspis was presumed to be a bottom feeder because its mouth was situated beneath its head, which was lined with sensory patches to sense for its burrowing prey. It was heavily armoured with a head shield, thought to be a predator defence.
Social organisation and mating system
N/A
Did you know that...?
Cephalaspis were jawless and unable to bite, so they had to suck up prey with detritus from the river or estuary bottom.
Taxonomy
