Parayunnanolepis

Parayunnanolepis xitunensis is an extinct, primitive antiarch placoderm. The fossil specimens, including a marvelously preserved, intact specimen, are known from the Lochkovian Epoch-aged Xitun Formation of Early Devonian Yunnan. The armor is very similar to that of Yunnanolepis, but is distinguished by being comparatively more flattened.

Parayunnanolepis Temporal range: Early Devonian, Lochkovian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Artist's reconstruction
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	†Placodermi
Order:	†Antiarchi
Family:	†Yunnanolepididae
Genus:	†Parayunnanolepis
Species:	†P. xitunensis
Binomial name
†Parayunnanolepis xitunensis Tong-Dzuy & Janvier 1990

An intact and exquisitely preserved specimen demonstrates that the living animal had pelvic fins and a pelvic girdle, thus proving that antiarchs had, primitively at least, pelvic girdles, and or inherited them from a common ancestor of both placoderms and other gnathostomes.^[1][2]