Eusthenopteron foordi Whiteaves, 1881 - fossil fish from the Devonian of Canada.

The oldest known fish bones are fragments from the Upper Cambrian. Soft-bodied chordates referred to as “vertebrates” or “fish” are known from the Lower Cambrian and Middle Cambrian. The earliest, decent fossils of true fish are in the Ordovician. These remains show that the first fish lacked jaws. The evolution of jaws involved morphologic modification of the anterior pairs of gill arches. By the Devonian, jawed fishes had diversified into many distinct groups and became an important component of ancient oceans. The Devonian is often nicknamed “The Age of Fishes”.

Exhibit info.: Eusthenopteron is a genus of prehistoric lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygia) that has attained an iconic status from its close relationship to tetrapods. The largest individuals grew up to 1.8 meters (~6 feet) in length. Eusthenopteron's notoriety comes from the pattern of its fin endoskeleton, which bears a distinct humerus, ulna, and radius (in the fore-fin) and femur, tibia, and fibula (in the pelvic fin). It also had internal nostrils which are one of the defining traits of tetrapodomorphs (including tetrapods) and labyrinthodont teeth, characterized by infolded enamel, which also characterizes all of the earliest known tetrapods.

Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii (Crossopterygii), Rhipidistia, Tristichopteridae

Stratigraphy: unrecorded/undisclosed Upper Devonian unit (but probably the Escuminac Formation)

Locality: unrecorded/undisclosed site in the Gaspe Peninsula, southeastern Quebec, southeastern Canada (but probably from the Miguasha cliffs, southern Gaspe Peninsula)

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