Living fossil, ancestor of fish, photographed for the first time

We are publishing an incredible photo that our reader Leonardo Schenardi shared with us, which portrays a modern-day diver next to a real living fossil, a primitive fish belonging to the Cephalaspis genus , thought to have become extinct in the Devonian period, about 400 million years ago.

Covered with a articulated armor, presumably for defense against predators, Cephalaspis belongs to the Osteostracan group, animals close to the ancestors of modern fish, agnathans, that is, jawless.

The Cephalaspid moves on the sand by sucking it in through its mouth which seems to retain small prey such as worms and crustaceans.

The discovery of a live Cephalaspis is a unique event, paving the way for further studies on living fossils. We thank the author of the photo, who agreed to share it with our readers. We are not authorized to reveal the site where the photo was taken; we reserve the right to discuss it in a future article.

Massimo Boyer

Marine biologist, underwater photographer, writer, tour operator, instructor, and guide. Excellent knowledge of the Indonesian seabed. Author of four books: Underwater Nature Photography: Technique, Art, and Science, Scylla. Story of a Great White Shark, The Underwater Photographer's Diary. Become an Underwater Photographer in 12 Months, Atlas of Reef Flora and Fauna, and over 500 articles on diving. He teaches Underwater Photography at the University of Genoa and collaborates with the Polytechnic University of Marche and the University of Milan-Bicocca. https://rubrica.unige.it/personale/UkJFXVpo