- 1. DFC1 Tessellate prismatic calcified cartilage
- (Maisey, JG, Denton, JSS, Burrow, C, Pradel, A. Journal of Fish Biology 15: 37-23)
- 2. [GFB2]Prismatic calcified cartilage (Maisey (2001: character 17), Pradel et al. (2011: character 0).)
- 0 single layered
- 1 multi-layered
- 3. DFC2 Perichondral bone
- 4. DFC3 Extensive endochondral ossification
- 5. [GFB8]Extensive pore canal network (See notes above for character 5.Extensive pore canal networks represent a key component of the complex tissue type known as cosmine, but networks of vascular canals that open to the surface of bones and scales by pores are widely distributed among early vertebrates. Best known in sarcopterygians, pore-canal networks are also found in a range of taxa including probable stem osteichthyans (e.g., Ligulalepis ; Schultze, 1968: figs 1-4), acanthodians (e.g., Poracanthodes; Valiukevicius, 1992: figs 4, 9), and osteostracans (e.g., Tremataspis, Denison, 1947: fig. 1). Sarcopterygian pore-canal networks are distinguished from these other examples in the density of pore canals, and the flask-like shape of these structures. )
- 6. Three-layered exoskeleton (Added by King et al.
Derived from Donoghue et al. (2000).
This character is problematic because the "absence" state could refer to anything from the total absence of exoskeletal ossification to the absence of any one of the three possible layers.)
- 7. Laminar basal layer (Based on Giles et al. (2010) and Keating et al. (2015))
- 8. Cancellous central layer
- 9. Dentinous external layer
- 10. Cephalic dermoskeleton bone
- 11. Perforated horizontal lamina in the sensory canals and vascular system
- 12. Galeaspidin
- 13. DFC4 Dentine
- 14. [GFB11]Bone cell lacunae in body scale bases (Burrow & Turner (2010: character 61). Hanke & Davis (2008) express uncertainty about bone cell lacunae in the scale bases of Gladiobranchus. However, Newman et al. (2012), working on the basis of better preserved material of Uraniacanthus (to which Gladiobranchus is synonymous) show convincingly that these lacunae are lacking. Climatius is scored '?' in spite of Ørvig's (1967) report of acellular bases. Ørvig figured flat-based scales from the head. This character strictly concerns body scales, which may have been different. Cheirolepis is scored '1' based on Ørvig (1967). However, this is remarkably poorly documented in any accessioned specimens. Acanthodes is scored '1' based on Gross (1947) and Valiukevicius (1995). Dialipina is scored from Schultze (1968). Psarolepis is coded '0' based on Qu et al. (2013). The presence or absence of bone cells in the scale bases of Brindabellaspisis uncertain based on Burrow & Turner (1999). )
- 15. DFC5 Dentine kind
- 0 mesodentine
- 1 semidentine
- 2 orthodentine
- 16. [GFB12]Main dentinous tissue forming fin spine (Burrow & Turner (2010: character 60).)
- 0 osteodentine
- 1 orthodentine
- 17. ZHU139 Resorption and redeposition of odontodes
- 0 lacking or partially developed
- 1 developed
- 18. [GFB5]Enamel(oid) present on dermal bones and scales (This character, along with the following three, represents an atomization of compound characters relating to suite of features characterizing ganoine and cosmine (e.g., Davis et al. 2012: character 6; Zhu et al. 2013: character 6). A similar approach to atomizing these traits was adopted by Friedman (2007: characters 131, 138 and 195) and Friedman & Brazeau (characters 36 and 37). An enameloid-like capping tissue is reported in thyestidians by Janvier (1996), so we have coded Osteostraci as polymorphic for this tissue.)
- 19. [GFB6]Enamel (See notes above for character 5.)
- 0 single-layered
- 1 multi-layered
- 20. [GFB7]Enamel layers (See notes above for character 5.)
- 0 applied directly to one another (ganoine)
- 1 separated by layers of dentine
- 21. Superficial glassy layer of dermal armour
- 22. DFC54 Precerebral fontanelle
- 23. DFC56 Nasal opening(s)
- 0 dorsal, placed between orbits
- 1 ventral and anterior to orbits
- 24. DFC57 Olfactory tracts
- 0 short, with olfactory capsules situated close to telencephalon cavity
- 1 elongate and tubular (much longer than wide)
- 25. Extended preorbital region between eyes and nasal capsule
- 0 absent
- 1 present, formed of subethmoidal platform (?upper lip?)
- 2 present, formed of rhinocapsular block
- 26. DFC59 Pronounced sub-ethmoidal keel
- 27. DFC60 Position of myodome for superior oblique eye muscles
- 0 posterior and dorsal to foramen for nerve II
- 1 anterior and dorsal to foramen for nerve II
- 28. DFC61 Endoskeletal cranial joint
- 29. DFC62 Spiracular groove on basicranial surface
- 30. DFC63 Spiracular groove on lateral commissure
- 31. DFC64 Subpituitary fenestra
- 32. DFC65 Supraorbital shelf broad with convex lateral margin
- 33. DFC66 Orbit dorsal or facing dorsolaterally, surrounded laterally by endocranium
- 34. DFC67 Extended prehypophysial portion of sphenoid
- 35. DFC68 Narrow interorbital septum
- 36. DFC70 Hyoid ramus of facial nerve (N. VII) exits through posterior jugular opening
- 37. DFC71 Glossopharyngeal nerve (N. IX) exit
- 0 foramen situated posteroventral to otic capsule and anterior to metotic fissure
- 1 through metotic fissure
- 38. DFC72 Short otico-occipital region of braincase
- 39. DFC73 Ethmoid region elongate with dorsoventrally deep lateral walls
- 40. DFC74 Relationship of cranial endocavity to basisphenoid
- 0 endocavity occupies full depth of sphenoid
- 1 endocavity dorsally restricted
- 41. DFC75 Ascending basisphenoid pillar pierced by common internal carotid
- 42. DFC79 Canal for efferent pseudobranchial artery within basicranial cartilage
- 43. DFC77 Canal for lateral dorsal aorta within basicranial cartilage
- 44. DFC78 Entrance of internal carotids
- 0 through separate openings flanking the hypophyseal opening or recess
- 1 through a common opening at the central midline of the basicranium
- 45. DFC80 Position of basal/basipterygoid articulation
- 0 same anteroposterior level as hypophysial opening
- 1 anterior to hypophysial opening
- 46. DFC81 Postorbital process articulates with palatoquadrate
- 47. DFC82 Labyrinth cavity
- 0 separated from the main neurocranial cavity by a cartilaginous or ossified capsular wall
- 1 skeletal capsular wall absent
- 48. DFC83 Basipterygoid process (basal articulation) with vertically oriented component
- 49. DFC84 Pituitary vein canal
- 0 dorsal to level of basipterygoid process
- 1 flanked posteriorly by basipterygoid process
- 50. DFC85 External (horizontal) semicircular canal
- 51. DFC86 Sinus superior
- 0 absent or indistinguishable from union of anterior and posterior canals with saccular chamber
- 1 present
- 52. Crus commune
- 53. DFC87 External (horizontal) semicircular canal
- 0 joins the vestibular region dorsal to posterior ampulla
- 1 joins level with posterior ampulla
- 54. DFC89 Posterior dorsal fontanelle
- 55. DFC90 Shape of posterior dorsal fontanelle
- 0 approximately as long as broad
- 1 much longer than wide, slot-shaped
- 56. DFC91 Dorsal ridge (This character is highly problematic because the dorsal ridge is fundamentally related to the presence of opisthotic fossae for the epaxial musculature. The states are too difficult to define. This is retained in the list, but excluded from the analysis.)
- 57. DFC92 Endolymphatic ducts
- 0 posteriodorsally angled tubes
- 1 tubes oriented vertically through median endolymphatic fossa
- 58. DFC96 Ventral cranial fissure
- 59. DFC97 Metotic (otic-occipital) fissure
- 60. DFC98 Vestibular fontanelle
- 61. DFC99 Occipital arch wedged in between otic capsules
- 62. DFC100 Spino-occipital nerve foramina
- 0 two or more, aligned horizontally
- 1 one or two, dorsoventrally offset
- 63. DFC101 Ventral notch between parachordals
- 0 absent
- 1 present or entirely unfused
- 64. DFC102 Parachordal shape
- 0 broad, flat
- 1 keeled with sloping lateral margins
- 65. DFC103 Hypotic lamina (and dorsally directed glossopharyngeal canal)
- 66. ZHU222, GFB131 Eye stalk or unfinished area on neurocranial wall for eye stalk
- 67. ZHU227, GFB155 Articulation facet with hyomandibular
- 0 single-headed
- 1 double-headed
- 68. ZHU231, GFB169 Basicranial fenestra
- 69. ZHU233, GFB155 Lateral cranial canal
- 70. ZHU234, GFB179 Midline canal in basicranium for dorsal aorta
- 71. ZHU142 Rostral tubuli
- 72. ZHU225 Unconstricted cranial notochord
- 73. ZHU226 Descending process of sphenoid (with its posterior extremity lacking periostegeal lining)
- 74. ZHU229 Opercular suspension on braincase
- 75. ZHU236 Vomeral area with grooves and raised areas
- 76. ZHU221 Ethmoid articulation for palatoquadrate
- 0 placed on postnasal wall
- 1 extends posteriorly to the level of N.II
- 77. DUPRET255 optic fissure
- 78. [GFB114]Buccohypophysial canal in parasphenoid
- 79. [GFB125]Transverse otic process (Schaeffer (1981), Coates & Sequeira (1998). This character refers to the presence of a transverse wall or process of the otic region that supports the hyomandibular articulation. Such a structure is present in many placoderms (the anterior postorbital process of traditional nomenclature), chondrichthyans (the lateral otic process), and osteichthyans (the lateral commisure sensu lato). There is some variability in the structure (pierced by jugular canal versus imperforate) and location (level with the anterior or posterior of the otic capsule) of transverse otic processes among early gnathostomes. We describe these patterns of variability in characters 126 and 164. )
- 80. [GFB126]Jugular canal (This character is modified from DFC characters 76 and 93. In part, this character describes patterns of variation among transverse otic processes that bear the hyomandibular facet (see characters 125 and 164). Transverse otic processes that lack a canal for the jugular are characteristic of many chondrichthyans (e.g. Tamiobatis, Xenacanthus). In cases where taxa lack a jugular canal and have a posteriorly positioned transverse otic process, this structure is typically called a lateral otic process (e.g. Schaeffer 1981: figs. 6, 21; Coates & Sequeira 1998: fig. 6). This character is composed as a compound because there are no further dependent characters. Mathematically, this should be equivalent to atomizing and using inapplicability.)
- 0 long (invested in otic region along length of skeletal labyrinth)
- 1 short (restricted to region anterior of skeletal labyrinth)
- 2 absent (jugular vein uninvested in otic region)
- 81. [GFB132]Postorbital process (Here we define the postorbital process as a dorsally positioned process at the rear margin of the orbit. The postorbital process is known by a variety of names in different groups: suprapterygoid process (sarcopterygians: Jarvik 1980); supraorbital process (placoderms: Stensio 1969; Jarvik 1980); postorbital pila (in part; identified in some early sarcopterygians and Entelegnathus, where a bridge encloses the jugular vein: Yu 1998; Zhu et al. 2013); lateral commissure (in part; identified in early actinopterygians and Ligulalepis; Zhu et al. 2013). Rudimentary postorbital processes are present in the rhenanid Jagorina (Stensio 1969: fig. 90) and the porolepiforms Porolepis and Glyptolepis (Jarvik 1972: figs 20-21). Taxa in which the orbit is completely enclosed by the neurocranium (e.g., Macropetalichthys) or where the palatoquadrate is fused to the neurocranium (e.g., Helodus) are coded as uncertain for this character.)
- 82. [GFB133]Canal for jugular in postorbital process
- 83. [GFB134]Series of perforations for innervation of supraorbital sensory canal in supraorbital shelf (This character is coded as inapplicable in taxa lacking well-developed supraorbital shelves.)
- 84. [GFB141]Subcranial ridges (Subcranial ridges were first described in Doliodus by Maisey et al. (2009). These ridges extend along the ventrolateral corner of the basicranium from the level of the hypophysis up to the hyomandibular articulation. These ridges have not previously been recognized in other early gnathostomes prior to our observations in Janusiscus. It is apparent from our revised comparative anatomy of early gnathostome braincases that subcranial ridges are present in the braincase referred to Ligulalepis, where they are manifest as downturned margins of the ventral surface of the sphenoid (Basden & Young, 2001), and Mimipiscis (Gardiner, 1984: fig. 50), where they greatly reduced in length. These can also be homologised with the laterobasal angles described in Brindabellasis and Kolymaspis)
- 85. [GFB154]Horizontal semicircular canal in dorsal view (This character captures the variable relationship between the course of the jugular vein and the horizontal semicircular canal. In placoderms, the jugular canal extends lateral to the horizontal canal in dorsal view, whereas most crown gnathostomes show a contrasting condition where the vein is overlapped by the canal. Galeaspids and osteostracans are lack a horizontal canal, and are coded as inapplicable for this character.)
- 0 medial to path of jugular vein
- 1 dorsal to jugular vein
- 86. [GFB159]Synotic tectum (Coates & Sequeira (1998: character 9).)
- 87. [GFB161]Shape of median dorsal ridge anterior to endolymphatic fossa (Modified from Coates & Sequeira (1999: character 11), Coates & Sequeira (2001a: character 75), Coates & Sequeira (2001b: character 9) and Maisey (2001: character 9).)
- 0 developed as a squared-off ridge or otherwise ungrooved
- 1 bears a midline groove
- 88. [GFB166]Branchial ridges (Here we define the vagal process as a lateral extension (or extensions) of the posterior otic region that are associated with foramina for branche of the vagus (X) nerve and bear facets for the branchial arches. They can also pierced by the jugular canal. Vagal processes are well developed in placoderms (e.g. Dicksonosteus; Goujet 1984: fig 6). A complete account of vagal processes is provided above in section 3 ('Lateral Processes of Early Gnathostome Neurocrania'). )
- 0 present
- 1 reduced to vagal process
- 2 absent (articulation made with bare cranial wall)
- 89. [GFB167]Craniospinal process (The craniospinal process forms the posterolateral corner of the braincase and is often involved with or supports the cranio-thoracic joint. A complete account of the craniospinal process is provided above in section 3 ('Lateral Processes of Early Gnathostome Neurocrania'). )
- 90. [GFB176]Stalk-shaped parachordal/occipital region (In petalichthyids such as Macropetalichthys, the occiput is flanked by large cucullaris fossae, resulting in a very elongage and narrow occipital region (Stensi?, 1969; Young, 1978). Although the endocranium of Lunaspis is not known in any external preparations, the stalked occiput is clearly visible in a radiograph prepared by W. St?rmer (SMF WS 10825) of an isolated skull from the Hunsr?ck Slate.)
- 91. GFB177 paired occipital facets
- 92. [GFB178]Size of aperture to notochordal canal
- 0 much smaller than foramen magnum
- 1 as large, or larger, than foramen magnum
- 93. Relative position of jugular groove and hyomandibular articulation
- 0 hyomandibula dorsal or same level
- 1 jugular vein passing dorsal or lateral to hyomandibula
- 94. Medial recess of the posteroventral myodome (King et al. assumed this character to be inapplicable outside of osteostracans. This is incorrect. The posteroventral myodome is clearly observable in many placoderms, as well as Shuyu)
- 95. Number of sel canals
- 96. sel 1 canal bifurcation
- 0 between orbit and lateral field
- 1 close to field
- 2 close to orbit
- 97. Marginal vein
- 98. Profundus and trigeminal nerves
- 0 emerge from cranial cavity separately
- 1 emerge from cranial cavity together
- 99. Transverse otic process
- 0 not extending in front of orbits
- 1 extending in front of orbits
- 100. Nasal capsules in anterlolateral corners of orbit
- 101. vagal process
- 102. Paravagal fossa
- 103. Rostral processes
- 104. Braincase is series of bilateral ossifications
- 105. Median rostral dorsal process of braincase
- 106. tectum orbitale/supraorbital shelf
- 0 absent or very narrow
- 1 present
- 107. Expanded articular area anterior to basipterygoid process
- 108. Hyomandibular facets where they straddle the jugular canal
- 0 narrowly separated
- 1 broadly separated
- 109. Parachordal plates (This character is excluded from the analysis because its scirubg cannot be considered phenomenologically indistinct from the presence/absence of a metotic fissure.)
- 0 separated from the otic capsule
- 1 sutured or fused to otic capsule
- 110. Posttemporal fossae (This character also cannot be considered independent of the presence of a dorsal ridge. However, it will be retained provisionally.)
- 111. Rostral organ
- 112. Prespiracular dental plate
- 113. Suprapterygoid process
- 114. Processus supraorbitalis lateralis
- 115. Anterolateral fenestra in roof of otoccipital
- 116. Ventral cranial fissure connects with vestibular fontanelles
- 117. Bar across spiracular groove
- 118. Hypophysial foramen in braincase
- 119. Pineal opening in braincase
- 120. Ventral rounded processes on preotic part of braincase
- 121. Periotic process
- 122. Dorsal otic ridge forming a horizontal crest
- 123. Perilymphatic fenestra
- 124. Notochord short and stopped by occipital cotylus
- 125. Hyomandibular articulating with braincase
- 126. Ethmoidal articulation of palatoquadrate
- 127. Orbital/palatobasal articulation
- 0 posterior to optic foramen
- 1 anterior to optic foramen
- 128. accessory processes extend from ventral surface of nasal capsule
- 129. Internal carotid meets efferent pseudobranchial in orbit
- 130. Jugular vein passes through cranioquadrate passage
- 131. Anterior margin of ventral fissure
- 132. Bulbous condyles in otic region for palatoquadrate attachment
- 133. Basal fenestra opening into floor of orbit
- 134. nasal sacs
- 135. DFC55 Median dermal bone of palate (parasphenoid)
- 136. ZHU239, GFB113 Ascending process of parasphenoid
- 137. ZHU240, GFB111 Shape of parasphenoid denticulated field
- 0 broad rhomboid or lozenge-shaped
- 1 broad, splint-shaped
- 2 slender, splint-shaped
- 138. ZHU241, GFB112 Parasphenoid denticulated field with multifid anterior margin
- 139. ZHU237 Parasphenoid
- 0 protruding forward into ethmoid region of endocranium
- 1 behind ethmoid region
- 140. ZHU238 Denticulated field of parasphenoid
- 0 without spiracular groove
- 1 with spiracular groove
- 141. ZHU243 Parasphenoid denticle field
- 0 terminates at or anterior to level of foramina for internal carotid arteries
- 1 extends posterior to foramina for internal carotid arteries
- 142. 4 carotid foramina in parasphenoid
- 143. Parotic dental plate
- 144. DFC37 Basihyal (Scored present for Acanthodes and Ptomacanthus.)
- 0 present
- 1 absent, hyoid arch articulates directly with basibranchial
- 145. DFC38 Interhyal
- 146. ZHU197 Foramen in hyomandibular
- 147. [GFB72]Gill arches (Scores for certain placoderms without preserved or mineralized gill arch and braincase skeletons are based on the outline of the braincase on the visceral surface of the skull roofing bones and the postition of the postbranchial lamina on the shoulder girdle. In placoderms, there is no room for the gill chamber to be extended behind the skull, and must therefore have been placed in a sub-cranial position.)
- 0 largely restricted to region under braincase
- 1 extend far posterior to braincase
- 148. [GFB75]Hypohyal (Gardiner (1984: character 27), Maisey (1986: character K11), Friedman & Brazeau (2010: character 12).The hypohyal is a cartilage that lies at the anterior end of the ceratohyal, and links the ventral half of the hyoid arch with the ventral gill skeleton. This character has been considered an osteichthyan synapomorphy (see Friedman & Brazeau, 2010 for a review). Davis et al. (2012: 43, supplementary material) query--but do not test--the status of the hypohyal as an osteichthyan synapomorphy, noting occurrences in the chondrichthyans Debeerius (Lund & Grogan, 2000: fig. 7) and Cobelodus (Zangerl & Case, 1976: fig. 13). The putative example in Debeerius is peculiar, as it articulates with the anterolateral margin of the median basal element, rather than linking the ceratohyal with this basal cartilage. We consider the condition of the mesial hyoid arch in Cobelodus to be unclear. )
- 149. [GFB76]Endoskeletal urohyal (Friedman (2007: character 164).)
- 150. Disposition of the interbranchial ridges of the oralobranchial chamber roof
- 0 oligobranchiate
- 1 orthobranchiate
- 2 nectaspidiform
- 151. Number of branchial fossae
- 0 5-7
- 1 9-17
- 2 more than 20
- 152. Basibranchial elements
- 153. Sublingual rod
- 154. Dense array of hyoid arch rays covers gill area
- 155. DFC18 Dermal skull roof
- 0 includes large dermal plates
- 1 consists of undifferentiated plates or tesserae
- 156. DFC19 Tesserae morphology
- 0 large interlocking polygonal plates
- 1 microsquamose, not larger than body tesserae
- 157. DFC20 Extent of dermatocranial cover
- 0 complete
- 1 incomplete (scale-free and elsewhere)
- 158. DFC21 Endolymphatic ducts open in dermal skull roof
- 159. DFC22 Endolymphatic ducts with oblique course through dermal skull bones
- 160. DFC23 Series of paired median skull roofing bones that meet at the dorsal midline of the skull (rectilinear skull roof pattern)
- 161. DFC24 Consolidated cheek plates
- 162. DFC25 Pineal opening perforation in dermal skull roof
- 163. DFC26 Enlarged postorbital tessera separate from orbital series
- 164. DFC27 Bony hyoidean gill-cover series (branchiostegals)
- 165. DFC28 Branchiostegal plate series along ventral margin of lower jaw
- 166. DFC29 Branchiostegal ossifications
- 0 plate-like
- 1 narrow and ribbon-like
- 167. DFC30 Branchiostegal ossifications
- 0 ornamented
- 1 unornamented
- 168. DFC31 Imbricated branchiostegal ossifications
- 169. DFC32 Opercular cover of branchial chamber
- 0 complete or partial
- 1 separate gill covers and gill slits
- 170. DFC34 Shape of opercular (submarginal) ossification
- 0 broad plate that tapers towards its proximal end
- 1 narrow, rod-shaped
- 171. DFC35 Gular plates
- 172. DFC36 Size of lateral gular plates
- 0 extending most of length of the lower jaw
- 1 restricted to theanterior third of the jaw (no longer than the width of three or four branchiostegals
- 173. ZHU196, GFB67 Median gular
- 174. ZHU147, GFB46 Dermal intracranial joint
- 175. ZHU152, GFB116 Posterior nostril
- 0 associated with orbit
- 1 not associated with orbit
- 176. ZHU161, GFB48 Number of marginal bones alongside paired median skull roofing bones over the otico-occipital division of braincase
- 177. ZHU168* Dermal cranio-thoracic articulation between paired main-lateral-line-bearing bones of skull and shoulder girdle
- 178. Dermal neck joint facet morphology
- 0 absent
- 1 ginglymoid
- 2 reverse-ginglymoid
- 179. Para-articular process of dermal neck joint
- 180. Endoskeletal craniothoracic (sixth branchial) facet
- 181. ZHU180, GFB90 Posterior expansion of maxilla (maxilla cleaver-shaped)
- 182. ZHU182, GFB59 Contribution by maxilla to posterior margin of cheek
- 183. ZHU148 Large unpaired median skull roofing bone anterior to the level of nasal capsules
- 184. ZHU149 Number of nasals
- 185. ZHU150 Mesial margin of nasal
- 186. ZHU151 Dermintermedial process
- 187. ZHU153 Position of posterior nostril
- 0 external, far from jaw margin
- 1 external, close to jaw margin
- 188. ZHU154 Supraorbital (sensu Cloutier and Ahlberg 1996, including posterior tectal of Jarvik)
- 189. ZHU155 Supraorbital, preorbital and nasal
- 190. ZHU156 Tectal (sesu Cloutier and Ahlberg 1996 not counting posterior tectal of Jarvik)
- 191. ZHU157 Lateral plate
- 192. ZHU158 Location of pineal foramen/eminence
- 0 level with posterior margin of orbits
- 1 well posterior of orbits
- 193. ZHU159 Parietals (preorbitals of placoderms) surround pineal foramentotoeminence
- 194. ZHU160 Complete enclosure of spiracle by skull roof bones
- 195. ZHU162 paranuchal number
- 196. ZHU164 Contact of nuchal or centronuchal plate with paired preorbital plates
- 197. ZHU167 Number of extrascapulars
- 198. ZHU171 Foramina (similar to infradentary foramina) on cheek bones
- 199. ZHU172 Lacrimal posteriorly enclosing posterior nostril
- 200. ZHU173 Most posterior major bone of cheek bearing preopercular canal (preopercular) extending forward, close to orbit
- 201. ZHU174 Number of cheek bones bearing preopercular canal posterior to jugal
- 202. ZHU175 Bone bearing both quadratojugal pit-line and preopercular canal
- 203. ZHU176 Dermohyal
- 204. ZHU177 Premaxillae with inturned symphysial processes
- 205. ZHU178 Premaxilla forming part of orbit
- 206. ZHU181 Ventral margin of maxilla
- 207. ZHU198 Large dermal plates forming outer dental arcade
- 0 only with denticles
- 1 with large monolinear tooth row
- 208. ZHU244 Presupracleithrum
- 209. ZHU170 Number of sclerotic plates (In rhenanids, we do not actually know the number of sclerotic plates because the observed external plates could be superficial tesserae overlying larger basal plates, as in other areas of the skull.)
- 0 four or less
- 1 more than four
- 210. [GFB29]Dermal ornamentation
- 0 smooth
- 1 ridges
- 2 tuberculate
- 211. [GFB36]Cranial spines (This character is composed as a compound because there are no further dependent characters. Mathematically, this should be equivalent to atomizing and using inapplicability.)
- 0 absent
- 1 present, multicuspid
- 2 present, monocuspid
- 212. [GFB40]Endolymphatic duct relationship to median skull roof bone (i.e. nuchal plate)
- 0 within median bone
- 1 on bones flanking the median bone (e.g. paranuchals)
- 213. [GFB42]Dermal plate associated with pineal eminence or foramen (Among taxa sampled in this analysis, osteostracans, antiarchs, Brindabellaspis, and Romundina bear pineal plates that contribute to the margin of the orbit, corresponding to state '0'. We consider taxa where the pineal foramen is bounded by rectilinear skull roofing bones but which lack separate pineal ossifications (e.g., Mimipiscis) as showing state '1'. Taxa lacking macromeric cranial skeletons are coded as inapplicable for this character. )
- 0 contributes to orbital margin
- 1 plate bordered laterally by skull roofing bones
- 214. [GFB44]Broad supraorbital vaults (Denis & Miles (1981: character 16).This character is contingent on the presence of a dermal skull roof composed of large plates. In coccosteomorph arthrodires, the dorsal surfaces of the orbits, comprising the preorbital and postorbital plates, are formed of broad, concave laminae. Similar vaults on the visceral surface of the dermal skull are absent in other placoderms and osteichthyans.)
- 215. [GFB49]Suture between paired skull roofing bones (centrals of placoderms postparietals of osteichthyans) (Modified from Miles & Dennis (1979: character 6))
- 216. [GFB50]Medial processes of paranuchal wrapping posterolateral corners of nuchal plate
- 0 absent
- 1 present
- 2 paranuchals precluded from nuchal by centrals
- 217. [GFB51]Paired pits on ventral surface of nuchal plate (Miles & Dennis (1979: character 10), Dennis & Miles (1981: character 10).)
- 218. [GFB52]Sclerotic ring (Coded according to Burrow et al. (2011).)
- 219. [GFB54]Cheek plate (This character is contingent on the presence of a consolidated dermal cheek. This character reflects whether the canal-bearing dermal cheek (preorpercular or suborbital equivalent) is composed of one or multiple bones. State '0' is apparent in actinopterygians, Guiyu, Psarolepis (preopercular), Entelognathus and other placoderms. )
- 0 undivided
- 1 divided (i.e., squamosal and preopercular)
- 220. [GFB55]Subsquamosals in taxa with divided cheek (Zhu & Schultze (2001: character 64), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 48), Zhu & Yu (2002: character 48), Friedman (2007: character 43).)
- 221. [GFB56]Preopercular shape (Zhu et al. (2001: character 54), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 54), Friedman (2007: character 48). This character applies only to the subset of sarcopterygians with subdivided cheek plates. In onychodonts (Andrews et al., 2006), porolepiforms (Jarvik, 1972), and coelacanths (Forey, 1998), the preopercular assumes a plate-like morphology. By contrast, tetrapodomorphs bear a bar-shaped preopercular bone (Jarvik, 1980; Long et al., 1997).)
- 222. [GFB89]Premaxilla (Friedman (2007: character 150).)
- 0 extends under orbit
- 1 restricted anterior to orbit
- 223. Median rostral extension of head shield
- 224. Lateral fields
- 225. Division of lateral fields
- 0 absent
- 1 divided once
- 2 divided twice
- 226. Lateral fields extend posterior to pectoral sinus
- 227. Lateral field extends to cornua
- 228. Median field
- 229. Median field separation from pineal plate or foramen
- 230. External endolymphatic duct opens within median field
- 231. Median dorsal opening
- 232. external nasal opening
- 233. Nasohypophysial opening shape
- 0 unconstricted
- 1 constricted
- 2 split
- 234. cornual extensions
- 235. Fused scale rows on head shield
- 236. Dorsal spinal process on head shield
- 237. oralobranchial covering
- 238. Shape of median dorsal opening
- 0 transverse slit-like
- 1 oval-like
- 2 slender longitudinal oval
- 239. Spines on cornual extension
- 240. headshield enclosed posteriorly behind oralobranchial chamber
- 241. Enlarged tubercles form symmetrical pattern on posterior part of headshield
- 242. T-shaped rostral
- 243. Centronuchal plate
- 244. Postnuchal plate
- 245. cuso on suborbital plate
- 246. cuso on postsuborbital plate
- 247. cuso on skull roof, behind orbits
- 248. Parietals or Preorbital plates at anterior edge of skull roof
- 249. Sclerotic ring incorporated into skull
- 250. Unornamented shelf and rostrocaudal groove on premedian
- 251. Preorbital depression (This trait cannot really be defined for taxa lacking a substantial premedian or upper lip region. The preorbital depression is evident in rhenanids, though it may be somewhat indistinct from the lateral rim of the orbit margin. However, this is also the case in Romundina.)
- 252. Preorbital recess
- 253. Preorbital recess
- 0 restricted to premedian plate
- 1 extends to lateral plates
- 254. Nuchal plate
- 0 without orbital facets
- 1 with orbital facets
- 255. Submarginal articulation
- 256. Prelateral plate
- 257. posterior descending lamina of skull roof
- 258. Paraorbital plate separating suborbital from orbit
- 259. Mesial lamina of marginal plate
- 260. Transverse external groove behind pineal opening
- 261. Nostrils enclosed in dermal skull roof
- 262. lacrimal
- 263. Large median bone directly anterior to parietals and pineal
- 264. Snout region fragmented into many small plates
- 265. choana
- 266. B-bone
- 267. Number of supraorbitals
- 0 one
- 1 two
- 2 more than two
- 268. Series of bones lateral to supratemporal series
- 0 absent
- 1 single bone
- 2 two bones
- 269. Foramina on cheek bones
- 270. Contact between most posterior major bone of cheek bearing preopercular canal and maxilla
- 271. Number of branchiostegal rays per side
- 272. Pore clusters
- 273. Westoll-lines
- 274. Prerostral plate
- 275. Size of cosmine pores
- 276. Interparietal
- 277. Premaxilla contributes to posterior nostril
- 278. Supratemporal contact with postparietal
- 0 present
- 1 absent due to anterior displacement
- 2 absent due to lateral displacement
- 279. Supratemporal contact with nasal
- 280. Notch in anterior margin of jugal
- 281. Quadratojugal
- 282. Number of paired extrascapulars
- 283. accessory operculum
- 284. bone (sarcopt postorbital) between jugal and intertemporal
- 285. Lacrimal notch
- 286. Cheek plates fragmented into many small plates
- 287. Orbital process of maxilla
- 288. DFC16 Sensory line network
- 0 preserved as open grooves
- 1 pass through canals enclosed within dermal bones
- 289. DFC17 Jugal portion of infraorbital canal joins supramaxillary canal
- 290. ZHU166 Junction of posterior pitline and main lateral line
- 0 far in front of posterior margin of skull roof
- 1 close to posterior margin of skull roof
- 291. ZHU183 Course of ethmoid commissure
- 0 middle portion through median rostral
- 1 sutural course
- 2 through bone center of premaxillary
- 292. ZHU184 Position of anterior pit-line
- 0 on paired median skull roofing bones over the otico-occipital division of braincase
- 1 on paired median skull roofing bones over the sphenoid division of braincase
- 293. ZHU185 Middle and posterior pit-lines on postparietal
- 0 posteriorly situated
- 1 mesially situated
- 294. ZHU186 Position of middle and posterior pit lines
- 0 close to midline
- 1 near the central portion of each postparietal
- 295. ZHU187 Course of supraorbital canal
- 0 between anterior and posterior nostrils
- 1 anterior to both nostrils
- 296. ZHU188 Course of supraorbital canal
- 297. ZHU189 Posterior end of supraorbital canal
- 0 close to posterior and middle pit lines
- 1 anterior to posterior and middle pit lines
- 2 extends posterior to middle and posterior pit lines
- 298. ZHU190 Contact between otic and supraorbital canals
- 0 not in contact
- 1 in contact
- 299. ZHU191 Contact of supraorbital and infraorbital canals
- 0 in contact rostrally
- 1 not in contact rostrally
- 300. ZHU192 Otic canal
- 0 runs through skull roof
- 1 follows edge of skull roof
- 301. ZHU193 Infraorbital canal follows premaxillary suture
- 302. ZHU194 Sensory canal or pit-line associated with maxilla
- 303. ZHU217 Course of mandibular canal
- 0 not passing through most posterior infradentary
- 1 passing through most posterior infradentary
- 304. ZHU218 Course of mandibular canal
- 0 passing through dentary
- 1 not passing through dentary
- 305. Supraorbital canals and posterior pitlines cross as an X
- 306. [GFB31]Sensory canals/grooves (Goujet (1984b: unnumbered character), Brazeau (2009: 17). A character similar to this appeared in Brazeau (2009). Davis et al. (2012) did not include this character, but did not elaborate on the rationale behind this deletion. In its present formulation, this character considers the degree to which grooves or canals for sensory lines are expressed as prominent ridges on the visceral surface of dermal bones. This modification reflects the paucity of section data indicating whether the floor of the groove or canal lies deep to the visceral surface of the body of the containing bone. )
- 0 contained within the thickness of dermal bones
- 1 contained in prominent ridges on visceral surface of bone
- 307. [GFB34]Anterior pit line of dermal skull roof
- 308. [GFB47]Otic canal extends through postparietals (Cloutier & Ahlberg (1996: character 101), Zhu & Schultze (2001: character 47), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 37), Zhu & Yu (2002: character 37), Friedman (2007: character 40).)
- 309. Infra-orbital sensory line
- 0 crosses lateral field
- 1 does not cross lateral field
- 310. Festooned pattern of sensory canals
- 311. Multiply branched sensory canal system from posterior of supraorbital canals
- 312. Supraorbital sensory canal
- 313. branching of lateral transverse canal
- 314. Anterior supraorbital canal
- 315. Median dorsal canal
- 316. otic canal runs along mesial margin of marginal plate
- 317. Central sensory lines
- 318. Semicircular pit line
- 319. Horizontal sensory canal
- 320. Postmarginal canal (Gemuendina re-scored as unknown.)
- 321. Preopercular canal
- 322. Preopercular canal meets main canal
- 323. Supraoral canal
- 324. Extension of otic canal beyond infraorbital canal ("P" canal)
- 325. Ethmoid commissure fused into midline canal
- 326. Posterior pitline and postmarginal canal
- 327. Supraorbital canal joins infraorbital canal
- 0 Anterior to supraoral canal
- 1 posterior to supraoral canal
- 328. Sensory line commissure across extrascapular bones
- 329. DFC15 Sensory line canal
- 0 passes between or beneath scales
- 1 passes over scales and/or is partially enclosed or surrounded by scales
- 2 perforates and passes through scales
- 330. Dorsal branch of main lateral line canal on PDL
- 331. Sharp downward bend on PDL plate sensory line
- 332. DFC39 Oral dermal tubercles borne on jaw cartilages
- 333. DFC40 Tooth whorls
- 334. DFC41 Bases of tooth whorls
- 0 single, continuous plate
- 1 some or all whorls consist of separate tooth units
- 335. DFC42 Enlarged adsymphysial tooth whorl
- 336. DFC43 Teeth ankylosed to dermal bones
- 337. DFC44 Dermal jaw plates on biting surface of jaw cartilages
- 338. DFC45 Maxillary and dentary tooth-bearing bones
- 339. DFC46 Large otic process of the palatoquadrate
- 340. DFC47 Insertion area for jaw adductor muscles on palatoquadrate
- 341. DFC48 Oblique ridge or groove along medial face of palatoquadrate
- 342. DFC49 Fenestration of palatoquadrate at basipterygoid articulation
- 343. DFC50 Perforate or fenestrate anterodorsal (metapterygoid) portion of palatoquadrate
- 344. DFC51 Pronounced dorsal process on Meckelian bone or cartilage
- 345. DFC52 Preglenoid process
- 346. DFC53 Jaw articulation located on rearmost extremity of mandible
- 347. ZHU140, GFB80 Acrodin
- 348. ZHU141, GFB86 Plicidentine
- 0 absent
- 1 simple or generalized polyplacodont
- 349. ZHU201, GFB106 Number of coronoids
- 0 more than three
- 1 three
- 350. ZHU202, GFB94 Fangs of coronoids (sensu stricto)
- 351. ZHU199 Tooth-bearing median rostral
- 352. ZHU200 Teeth of dentary
- 0 reaching anterior end of dentary
- 1 not reaching anterior end
- 353. ZHU203 Marginal denticle band on coronoids
- 0 broad band, at least posteriorly
- 1 narrow band with 2-4 denticle rows
- 354. ZHU204 infradentary
- 355. ZHU205 Infradentary foramina
- 0 always present
- 1 variable
- 2 always absent
- 356. ZHU206 Large ventromesially directed flange of symphysial region of mandible
- 357. ZHU207 Flange like extension of mandible composed of prearticular and Meckelian ossification
- 358. ZHU208 Strong ascending flexion of symphysial region of mandible
- 359. ZHU209 Parasymphysial plate
- 0 detachable tooth whorl
- 1 long with posterior corner, sutured to coronoid, denticulated or with tooth row
- 2 absent
- 360. ZHU210 Anterior end of prearticular
- 0 far from jaw symphysis
- 1 near jaw symphysis
- 361. ZHU211 Prearticular - dentary contact
- 362. ZHU212 Meckelian bone exposed immediately anterior to first coronoid
- 363. ZHU213 Dermal plates on mesial (lingual) surfaces of Meckels cartilage and palatoquadrate
- 364. ZHU214 Biconcave glenoid on lower jaw
- 365. ZHU235 Vomerine fangs
- 366. ZHU215 Contact between palatoquadrate and dermal cheek bones
- 0 continuous contact of metapterygoid and autopalatine
- 1 metapterygoid and autopalatine contacts separated by gap between commissural lamina of palatoquadrate and cheek bones
- 367. ZHU216 Metapterygoid with developed medial ventral protrusion
- 368. DUPRET254 jaws
- 369. LONG257 Deep, high supragnathal bone with durophagous occlusal surface
- 370. [GFB79]Enamel(oid) on teeth (Modified from Rosen et al. (1981: 26), Lauder & Liem (1983: fig. 1, character 17), Gardiner (1984: character 36), Schultze & Cumbaa (2001: character 104), Zhu & Schultze (2001: character 212), Zhu et al. (2001: character 156), Zhu & Yu (2002: character 156), Zhu et al. (2006: character 123), Friedman (2007: character 139), Zhu et al. (2009: character 153).Previous authors have restricted consideration to the presence of 'true' enamel only, a putative synapomorphy of sarcopterygians. Given the ambiguity in differentiating enamel and enameloid in many fossil vertebrates, we adopt a more general formulation of this character.)
- 371. [GFB84]Distribution of tooth whorls
- 0 upper and lower jaws
- 1 lower jaws only
- 2 upper jaws only
- 372. [GFB91]Pair of tooth plates (anterior supragnathals or vomers) on ethmoidal plate
- 373. [GFB93]Extent of infradentaries
- 0 along much of ventral margin of dentary
- 1 restricted to posterior half of dentary
- 374. DFC95 Position of hyomandibula articulation on neurocranium
- 0 Anterior position, suborbital
- 1 posterior position, behind orbit
- 375. [GFB97]Autopalatine and quadrate (Miles & Dennis (1979: character 22); Dennis & Miles (1981: character 22).)
- 0 comineralized
- 1 separate mineralizations
- 376. [GFB101]Palatoquadrate fused with neurocranium
- 377. Fused anterior supragnathals
- 378. posterior superognathal with vertical pipe-like ridges
- 379. Strongly curved infragnathal with wide flat non-biting region
- 380. Posterior process of vomers
- 381. Number of fang pairs on ectopterygoid
- 382. Proportions of entopterygoid
- 0 anterior end level with processus ascendens
- 1 anterior end considerably anterior to processus ascendens
- 383. Number of dermopalatines
- 0 one
- 1 two
- 2 more than two
- 384. Enlarged anterior tooth on premaxilla
- 385. Number of tooth rows on outer dental arcade
- 386. Number of infradentaries
- 0 one
- 1 two
- 2 more than 2
- 387. Coronoids
- 388. Number of fang pairs on posterior coronoid
- 389. Teeth radial rows on prearticular
- 390. Labial pit
- 391. Retroarticular process
- 392. Submandibulars
- 393. symplectic articulation
- 394. Processus ascendens of palatoquadrate
- 395. Grooved, curved upper toothplates attached to median element
- 396. Two divergent processes extending from anterior of palatoquadrate
- 397. Extramandibular dentition
- 398. Bilateral series of labial cartilages
- 399. DFC121 Pelvic fins
- 400. DFC122 Intromittent organ not associated with pelvic fins
- 401. LONG258 Intromittent organ with one large J-shaped element
- 402. LONG259 Intromittent organ (?clasper?) formed from distal part of pelvic fin
- 403. DFC110 Scapular process of shoulder endoskeleton
- 404. DFC111 Ventral margin of separate scapular ossification
- 0 horizontal
- 1 deeply angled
- 405. DFC112 Cross sectional shape of scapular process
- 0 flattened or strongly ovate
- 1 subcircular
- 406. DFC113 Flange on trailing edge of scapulocoracoid
- 407. DFC114 Scapular process with posterodorsal angle
- 408. DFC115 Endoskeletal postbranchial lamina on scapular process
- 409. DFC116 Mineralisation of internal surface of scapular blade
- 0 mineralised all around
- 1 unmineralised on internal face forming a hemicylindrical cross-section
- 410. DFC117 Coracoid process
- 411. DFC118 Procoracoid mineralisation
- 412. DFC119 Fin base articulation on scapulocoracoid
- 413. DFC120 Perforate propterygium
- 414. ZHU250, GFB201 Endoskeletal supports in pectoral fin
- 0 multiple elements articulating with girdle
- 1 single element ("humerus") articulating with girdle
- 415. ZHU248 Triradiate scapulocoracoid
- 416. ZHU249 Subscapular foramen
- 417. ZHU251 Pectoral propterygium
- 418. [GFB190]Scapular infundibulum (This character refers to the dermal opening for the scapulocoracoid. In antiarchs, the scapula is situated within an infundibulum, rather than a fenestration.)
- 419. [GFB202]Number of basals in polybasal pectoral fins
- 420. [GFB204]Number of mesomeres in metapterygial axis (Cloutier & Ahlberg (1996: character 123), Zhu & Schultze (2001: character 180), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 132), Zhu & Yu (2002: character 132), Friedman (2007: character 115).)
- 0 five or fewer
- 1 seven or more
- 421. [GFB205]Biserial pectoral fin endoskeleton
- 422. [GFB207]Filamentous extension of pectoral fin from axillary region
- 423. Entepicondyle on humerus
- 424. Horizontal plate of scapulocoracoid
- 425. Distal articulation of propterygium
- 0 with fin rays
- 1 with a second enlarged plate
- 2 no articulation
- 426. DFC104 Macromeric dermal shoulder girdle
- 427. DFC105 Dermal shoulder girdle composition
- 0 ventral and dorsal (scapular) components
- 1 ventral components only
- 428. DFC106 Dermal shoulder girdle forming a complete ring around the trunk
- 429. DFC107 Pectoral fenestra completely encircled by dermal shoulder armour
- 430. DFC108 Median dorsal plate
- 431. DFC109 Pronounced internal crista (keel) on median dorsal surface of shoulder girdle
- 432. DFC124 Pectoral fins covered in macromeric dermal armour
- 433. DFC125 Pectoral fin base has large, hemispherical dermal component
- 434. DFC128 Paired fin spines
- 435. ZHU245 Anocleithrum
- 0 element developed as postcleithrum
- 1 element developed as anocleithrum sensu stricto
- 436. ZHU246 Dorsal cleithrum (AL of the Placodermi), ventral cleithrum (AVL of the Placodermi) and pectoral spine (SP of the Placodermi)
- 437. ZHU247 Relationship of clavicle to cleithrum
- 0 ascending process of clavicle overlapping cleithrum laterally
- 1 ascending process of clavicle wrapping round anterior edge of cleithrum, overlapping it both laterally and mesially
- 438. ZHU252 Pelvic girdle with substantial dermal component
- 439. ZHU253 Pelvic fin spine
- 440. [GFB183][CA96: 115] Shape of dorsal blade of dermal shoulder girdle (either cleithrum or anterolateral plate) (Cloutier & Ahlberg (1996: character 115), Schultze & Cumbaa (2001: character 94), Zhu & Schultze (2001: character 164), Zhu et al. (2001: character 122), Zhu & Yu (2002: character 122), Cloutier & Arratia (2004: character 148), Zhu et al. (2006: character 96), Friedman (2007: character 107), Zhu et al. (2009: character 124).)
- 441. [GFB187]Posterior dorsolateral (PDL) plate or equivalent
- 442. PL and PDL overlap
- 443. left and right PDL contact below MD
- 444. PDL plate visible externally
- 445. Posteriorly produced spine on MD plate
- 446. Joint in macromeric armoured pectoral fin
- 447. Cd1 and Cd2 plates
- 448. Clavicles/interolateral plates
- 0 large plates, comparable in size to cleithrum
- 1 reduced to small semilunar plates, paired
- 2 unpaired semilunar plates
- 449. Chang's apparatus
- 450. Number of MD plates
- 451. Anocleithrum sensu stricto
- 452. Median ventral trunk plate(s)
- 453. Extracleithrum
- 454. Pectoral fin spine small (bivalve-like)
- 455. DFC136 Number of dorsal fins, if present
- 456. Horizontal caudal lobe
- 457. Triphycercal tail
- 458. DFC138 Caudal radials
- 0 extend beyond level of body wall and deep into hypochordal lobe
- 1 restricted to axial lobe
- 459. [GFB235]Supraneurals in axial lobe of caudal fin
- 460. [GFB227] Series of thoracic supraneurals (Cloutier & Ahlberg (1996: character 137), Ahlberg & Johanson (1998: character 99), Zhu & Ahlberg (2004: character 99), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 142), Zhu & Yu (2001: character 142), Friedman (2007: character 125).)
- 461. [GFB231]Branching radial structure articulating with dorsal fin basal plate
- 462. DFC126 Dorsal fin spines
- 463. DFC127 Anal fin spine
- 464. DFC129 Median fin spine insertion
- 0 shallow, not greatly deeper than dermal bones / scales
- 1 deep
- 465. DFC130 Intermediate fin spines
- 466. DFC131 Prepectoral fin spines
- 467. DFC132 Fin spines with ridges
- 468. DFC133 Fin spines with nodes
- 469. DFC134 Fin spines with rows of large retrorse denticles
- 470. DFC135 synarcual
- 471. DFC137 Anal fin
- 472. ZHU145 Fringing fulcra
- 473. Longitudinal scale alignment in fin webs
- 474. [GFB14]Differentiated lepidotrichia (Refers to the distinct rectangular shape of the aligned lepidotrichia-like scales. This character is scored contingently on the state of the previous character. Dialipina is coded '0' (uncatalogued specimen, Musem f?r Naturkunde, Berlin).)
- 475. ZHU146, GFB236 Epichordal lepidotrichia in caudal fin
- 476. [GFB27]Scute-like ridge scales (basal fulcra) (Patterson (1982: character 19), Lauder & Liem (1983: ), Gardiner (1984: character 12), Maisey (1986: N9), Gardiner & Schaeffer (1989: A19), Friedman & Brazeau (2010: character 25).)
- 477. [GFB218]Fin spine cross-section (Early gnathostome fin spines have at least two distinctive profiles in cross-section. Generally, the profile is gently curving or parabolic. Taxa such as acanthodids and ischnacanthids exhibit a condition in which the cross-section is more rectangular, and the sides of the spine are flatter and closer to parallel (Denison, 1979; Gagnier & Wilson, 1996).)
- 0 Round or horseshoe shaped
- 1 Flat-sided, with rectangular profile
- 478. [GFB219]Intermediate spines when present
- 0 one pair
- 1 multiple pairs
- 479. [GFB224]Expanded spine rib on leading edge of spine (This character is common to acanthodids and their proximal relations. It is variably present in Kathemacanthus.)
- 480. [GFB225]Spine ridges
- 0 converging at the distal apex of the spine
- 1 converging on leading edge of spine
- 481. [GFB229]Posterior dorsal fin shape (This is admittedly a compound character. This owes to the problems of rendering ratio-scale continuous characters as a discrete character. Our conceptualisation of this character is intended to capture the distinctively broad or ribbon-shaped second dorsal fins that are differentiated from any of the other median fins, and the generalized triangular shape of many gnathostomes and their relatives. In taxa possessing only a single dorsal fin, we have scored taxa where we think the observed fin is equivalent to a posterior dorsal fin. This is based on the postition of the posterior dorsal fin behind or at the level of the posterior limit of the posterior wall of the body cavity (as indicated by the position of the pelvic girdle and/or anal fin, or evidence of the body cavity present as an infill). We have reinterpreted the vertebral column of Cowralepis, arguing that Ritchie's (2005) reconstruction inverts the dorsoventral orientation. Ritchie's sub-haemal spines are here interpreted as dorsal or caudal fin radials. This is evidenced by the fact that the series bearing these epi-spinal elements continues under the dermal shoulder armour, while the opposing series terminates at the level of the pelvic fins (based on AMF9764, Ritchie, 2005, fig. 16 A, B). This also better explains the direction of the gentle sigmoid bend seen in several specimens (Ritchie, 2005, figs.16B, 17A, C). In photographs of specimen AMF103767 (Ritchie, 2005, fig. 1A-D, the orientation of the collapsed vertebral column can be observed. In the specimen showing the dorsal surface, the chordal surface the series lacking the accessory elements is observed, suggesting this was their ventral surface rather than dorsal.)
- 0 base approximately as broad as tall, not broader than all of other median fins
- 1 base much longer than the height of the fin, substantially longer than any of the other dorsal fins
- 482. [GFB230]Basal plate in dorsal fin (Friedman & Brazeau (2010: character 42).)
- 483. [GFB233]Basal plate in anal fin (Friedman & Brazeau (2010: character 42).)
- 484. Spine-brush complex
- 485. Series of median hexagonal scutes anterior to first dorsal fin (This character was scored present for only Brachyacanthus by King et al. However, it could very well apply to a diverse array of early gnathostomes.)
- 486. Intermediate spines with finlets
- 487. Median ventral prepectoral spine
- 488. Prepectoral spines form "necklace"
- 489. Longitudinal rows of enlarged keeled scutes
- 490. DFC8 Body scale growth pattern (See Bremer et al. for details on osteostracans.)
- 0 monodontode
- 1 polyodontode
- 491. DFC9 Body scale growth concentric
- 492. DFC10 Body scales with peg-and-socket articulation
- 493. DFC11 Body scale profile
- 0 distinct crown and base demarcated by a constriction (neck)
- 1 flattened
- 494. DFC12 Body scales with bulging base
- 495. DFC13 Body scales with flattened base
- 496. DFC14 Flank scales alignment
- 0 vertical rows
- 1 oblique rows or hexagonal/rhombic packing
- 2 disorganised
- 497. ZHU143, DFB19 Peg on rhomboid scale
- 498. ZHU144, GFB20 Anterodorsal process on scale
- 499. [GFB22]Profile of scales with constriction between crown and base (This character is scored contingently on the previous character, and thus refers to necked scales with a pronounced anvil-shaped profile as seen in acanthodids, diplacanthids, ischnacanthids, and similar taxa, and thus is typified by the profile of the Gomphonchus-type morphology.)
- 0 neck similar in width to crown
- 1 neck greatly constricted, resulting in anvil-like shape
- 500. [GFB25]Basal pore in scales (Growing basal tissue is absent from some scales belonging to chondrichthyans. Although shown only in the cranial cap scales (Coates & Sequeira, 2001b: fig. 12E), a basal pore is seen in Akmonistion.)
- 501. Scales
- 0 macromeric
- 1 micromeric
- 502. Scales with well developed pores on ganoine surface