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BOTHRIOLEPIS
(bo-free-oh-lep-is)
meaning: "trench scale"
Bothriolepis
Named By: Karl Eichwald in 1840
Time Period: Late Devonian~387-360 Ma
Location: Worldwide
Size: 30 centimetres long
Diet: Detritivore
Fossil(s): Hundreds of specimens
Classification: | Chordata | Placodermi | Antiarchi | Bothriolepidae |
Also known as: | Bothriolepis coloradensis | Bothriolepis minor |
About

Bothriolepis (Greek: "pitted scale" or "trench scale") is a widespread, abundant and diverse genus of antiarch placoderms that lived during the Middle to Late Devonian period of the Paleozoic Era. Historically, Bothriolepis resided in an array of paleo-environments spread across every paleocontinent, including near shore marine and freshwater settings. Most species of Bothriolepis were characterized as relatively small, benthic, freshwater detritivores (organisms that obtain nutrients by consuming decomposing plant/animal material), averaging around 30 centimetres (12 in) in length. However, the largest species, B. maxima, had a carapace about 100 centimetres (39 in) in length. Although expansive with over 60 species found worldwide, comparatively Bothriolepis is not unusually more diverse than most modern bottom dwelling species around today.

Read more about Bothriolepis at Wikipedia
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