Bothriolepis canadensis Whiteaves
Devonian
Escuminac Formation
Escuminac Bay, Ontario, Canada

50mm negative on 127mm slab

Bothriolepis is an extinct genus of placoderm fish — early armored fishes that lived during the Late Devonian Period, roughly 380–360 million years ago. The head and front of the body were encased in bony plates, a defining feature of placoderms. Bothriolepis was adapted for life near the bottom of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Its front fins were enclosed in bony sheaths and articulated, allowing limited walking or pushing along the substrate rather than active swimming. It likely fed by suction, consuming detritus, small invertebrates, and organic material from the sediment.