Protopteraspididae
| Protopteraspididae Temporal range: Early Devonian | |
|---|---|
| Protopteraspis gosseleti | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Class: | †Pteraspidomorpha |
| Subclass: | †Heterostraci |
| Order: | †Pteraspidiformes |
| Family: | †Protopteraspididae |
| Genera | |
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Protopteraspididae is an extinct family of pteraspidid heterostracan agnathans. Fossils of the various genera are found in early Devonian-aged marine strata. Protopteraspidids were once thought to represent a taxon of basal pteraspidids (hence "proto") but recent evaluations demonstrate that Protopteraspididae is a paraphyletic group of various transitional forms representing a gradual transition between the more advanced Pteraspoidei (comprising Pteraspididae, Gigantaspis and Protaspididae), and the anchipteraspidids and the Psammosteids.