Anaspida
| Anaspida Temporal range: early Silurian - Late Devonian | |
|---|---|
| Cowielepis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Superclass: | †Anaspidomorphi |
| Class: | †Anaspida Traquair, 1899 |
| Type species | |
| †Birkenia elegans Traquair 1898 | |
| Orders | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Anaspida ("shieldless ones") is an extinct group of jawless fish that existed from the early Silurian period to the late Devonian period. They were classically regarded as the ancestors of lampreys, but it is denied in recent phylogenetic analysis, although some analysis show these group would be at least related. Anaspids were small marine fish that lacked a heavy bony shield and paired fins, but were distinctively hypocercal.