Acanthodes

Taxobox
name = "Acanthodes"
fossil_range = Fossil range|409|284 Early Carboniferous to Early Permian

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Acanthodes bronni" from the Early Permian of Germany
|regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Acanthodii
ordo=Acanthodiformes
genus = "Acanthodes"

"Acanthodes" is an extinct genus of fish. [cite journal|date=1880|title=Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh|volume=Volume V.|pages=p115|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=69kKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA115&dq=Acanthodes+extinct&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=uW5xSLeqM4z-tAOS08i6Bg]

It belonged to the "Acanthodii", a group of early fishes which are known for the defensive spikes on their body. "Acanthodes" had a relatively small amount of spikes: a total of six, attached to its fins. The genus lacked teethcite book|last=Nicholson|first=Henry Alleyne|coauthors=Richard Lydekker|title=A Manual of Palaeontology|date=1889|pages=p966|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=MoAXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA966&dq=Acanthodes+pectoral+fins&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=_3FxSNTfCoqIswOHhNSuBg#PPA966,M1] in its jaws and had tooth-like little spikes on its gills. Because of this, it is presumed to have been a filter feeder, filtering plankton from the water. Like all later acanthodians, "Acanthodes" was larger than its earlier relatives; some members of its group reaches lengths of over 2 m. This genus was also less spiny than earlier forms. Its paired pectoral fins still had sturdy spines, as did the large anal fin. But there was only one spiny dorsal fin, set far back near the anal, and the pair of ribbonlike pelvic fins that ran along the belly each had a single spine. Thus, "Acanthodes" only had six fin spines on its body, compared with the 15 spines of its prickly relative, "Climatius".

Notes