Coccosteidae, Millerosteus minor

Millerosteus was a predatory, armored fish, resembling a smaller version of Coccosteus, averaging about 10 cm in length (Frickhinger, 1995). These bottom dwellers had large eyes and a long median dorsal shield. They had tiny tooth-like structures on their lower jaws, and probably preyed on small invertebrates (Millerosteus minor, 2022). Millerosteus fossils have been found in Devonian sediments in Scotland and Estonia (Newman et al., 2015). Many specimens have been found, including some complete and fairly well preserved (Newman, 2010).

References:
Frickhinger, K.A. (1995) Fossil Atlas, fishes Karl Albert Frickhinger. transl. by R. P. S. Jefferies. Blacksburg, VA: Mergus, Publ. for Natural History and Pet Books Baensch Tetra Press. p. 133.

Millerosteus minor (2022) Orkney Landscapes. Available at: https://orkneylandscapes.org/orkney/millerosteus-minor/ (Accessed: August 2024).

Newman, M., (2010) Middle Devonian Fish from the Orcadian Basin of Scotland. International Palaeontological Congress 3 Pre-conference Field Trip, London, p. 82.

Newman, M.J. et al. (2015) Scottish Middle Devonian fishes in Estonia, Scottish Journal of Geology, 51(2), pp. 141–147. doi:10.1144/sjg2014-006.