Dartmuthia

Dartmuthia Temporal range: Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Head shield of Dartmuthia gemmifera ( AMNH 8465)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	†Osteostraci
Order:	†Thyestiida
Family:	†Tremataspidae
Genus:	†Dartmuthia Patten, 1931[1]
Type species
†Dartmuthia gemmifera Patten, 1931
Species
†D. gemmifera Patten, 1931 †D. procera Marss et al., 2014

Dartmuthia is an extinct genus of primitive jawless fish that lived in the Silurian period. Fossils of Dartmuthia have been found in Himmiste Quarry, on the island of Saaremaa in Estonia. It was first described by William Patten.^[2]

Dartmuthia is one of the only osteostracans in which material of the trunk and tail behind the armored head shield have been found. Since the mouth is positioned on the underside of the head Dartmuthia is presumed to have dwelled on the ocean floor, sucking its food into its mouth.^[3]

References