Austroptyctodus

Name: Austroptyctodus ‭(‬Southern Ptyctodus‭)‬.
Phonetic: Oss-tro-tyk-o-duss.
Named By: Long‭ ‬-‭ ‬1997.
Synonyms: Ctenurella gardineri.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Gnathostomata,‭ ‬Placodermi,‭ ‬Ptyctodontida,‭ ‬Ptyctodontidae.
Species: A.‭ ‬gardineri.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Australia‭ ‬-‭ ‬Gogo Formation.
Time period: Late Devonian.
Fossil representation: Partial remains,‭ ‬though one specimen has three unborn embryos preserved within it.

       Originally described as a species of the genus Ctenurella in‭ ‬1977,‭ ‬Austroptyctodus was established as a distinct genus in‭ ‬1997,‭ ‬mainly upon differences in the pattern of the skull roof.‭ ‬A specimen of Austroptyctodus has been found with three unborn embryos inside of it,‭ ‬clearly showing that Austroptyctodus bore live young as opposed to laying eggs.‭ ‬This discovery along with the description of the genus Materpiscis has helped prove that the ptyctodontid placoderm fish at least gave birth to live young.

Further reading
-‭ ‬Placoderm interrelationships reconsidered in the light of new ptyctodontids from Gogo Western Australia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Linnean Society Symposium Series‭ ‬4:‭ ‬123-198.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Miles‭ & ‬G.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Young‭ ‬-‭ ‬1977.
-‭ ‬Ptyctodontid fishes from the Late Devonian Gogo Formation,‭ ‬Western Australia,‭ ‬with a revision of the German genus Ctenurella Orvig‭ ‬1960.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Geodiversitas‭ ‬19:‭ ‬515-555.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Long‭ ‬-‭ ‬1997.
-‭ ‬Live birth in the Devonian period.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nature‭ ‬453‭ (‬7195‭)‬:‭ ‬650‭–‬652.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Long,‭ ‬K.‭ ‬Trinajstic,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Young‭ & ‬T.‭ ‬Senden‭ ‬-‭ ‬2008.

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