Protaspididae
| Protaspididae Temporal range: Early Devonian | |
|---|---|
| Fossil of Cosmaspis transversa in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Class: | †Pteraspidomorpha |
| Subclass: | †Heterostraci |
| Order: | †Pteraspidiformes |
| Suborder: | †Pteraspidoidei |
| Family: | †Protaspididae |
| Genera | |
| |
Protaspididae is an extinct family of pteraspidid heterostracan agnathans. Fossils of the various genera are found in early Devonian-aged marine strata. Protaspidids were once thought to represent a transitional form between the Pteraspididae and the Psammosteida, bearing the broad head shield shape of the latter, due to a more benthic (bottom-dwelling) existence, but recent phylogenical comparisons demonstrate that the protaspidids are actually highly derived pteraspidids, and that the anchipteraspidids, the most primitive of pteraspidids, are the sister-group of the psammosteids.