A new selenosteid placoderm from the Late Devonian of the eastern Anti-Atlas (Morocco) with preserved body outline and its ecomorphology

Placoderms are an extinct group of early jawed vertebrates that play a key role in understanding the evolution of the gnathostome body plan, including the origin of novelties such as jaws, teeth, and pelvic fins. As placoderms have a poorly ossified axial skeleton, preservation of the mainly cartilaginous axial and fin elements is extremely rare, contrary to the heavily mineralized bones of the skull and thoracic armor. Therefore, the gross anatomy of the animals and body shape is only known from a few taxa, and reconstructions of the swimming function and ecology are speculative. Here, we describe articulated specimens preserving skull roofs, shoulder girdles, most fins, and body outlines …