Enseosteus is an extinct genus of small selenosteid arthrodire placoderms known from the Upper Frasnian Kellwasserkalk facies of Late Devonian Germany[1] and Morocco.[2]

Enseosteus
Temporal range: Late Frasnian[1]
Enseosteus jaeckeli
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Placodermi
Order: Arthrodira
Suborder: Brachythoraci
Family: Selenosteidae
Genus: Enseosteus
Jaeckel, 1919
Type species
Enseosteus jaekelli
Gross, 1932
Species
  • E. jaekelli Gross, 1932
  • E. hermanni Stensiö 1959
  • E. marocensis Rücklin, 2011
Synonyms
  • Ottonosteus jaekeli Stensiö, 1959

Enseosteus is very similar to the other Kellwasserkalk selenosteids, though, the type species, E. jaekelli, has a bulbous, knob-shaped rostrum. Denison (1978) synonymizes the genera Ottonosteus (O. jaekeli = E. hermanni) and Walterosteus with Enseosteus, claiming that the two genera are too similar to Enseosteus to merit separate genus status.[1] Rücklin (2011) agrees with Denison's synonymizing of Ottonosteus, but rejects Denison's synonymization of Walterosteus, claiming how Walterosteus has a contact between the rostral plate and the pineal plate, which Enseosteus does not.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Denison, Robert (1978). Handbook of Paleoichthyology, Volume 2, Placodermi. New York: Gustav Fischer Verlage. pp. 96–98. ISBN 9780895740274.
  2. ^ a b RÜCKLIN, MARTIN (January 14, 2011). "First selenosteid placoderms from the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco; osteology, phylogeny and palaeogeographical implications". Palaeontology. 56 (1): 25–62. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.01026.x.