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Devonian arthrodire embryos and the origin of internal fertilization in vertebrates

Author

Listed:
  • John A. Long

    (Museum Victoria, PO Box 666, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia
    Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
    School of Geosciences, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia)

  • Kate Trinajstic

    (School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Western Australia, Australia)

  • Zerina Johanson

    (Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK)

Abstract

Early vertebrate reproduction The recent discovery of evidence for internal fertilization and live birth in ptyctodonts, a small group of the extinct fossil fishes known as placoderms, provided a rare glimpse of an ancient form of reproductive biology. Now embryos have been found within another well preserved fossil placoderm, Incisoscutum. This is important because Incisoscutum is a member of the arthrodires, a large and diverse group of placoderms. The fossils show that the pelvic girdle in Incisoscutum was adapted to support organs like the claspers of sharks, which are used in internal fertilization. These new finds confirm that internal fertilization and viviparity were much more widespread among the earliest jawed vertebrates than had previously been appreciated

Suggested Citation

  • John A. Long & Kate Trinajstic & Zerina Johanson, 2009. "Devonian arthrodire embryos and the origin of internal fertilization in vertebrates," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7233), pages 1124-1127, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7233:d:10.1038_nature07732
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07732
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