Yiminaspis is an extinct monospecific genus of primitive arthrodire placoderm fish from Emsian-aged marine strata in Yunnan, China. The type species Yiminaspis shenme was named and described in 2008, and is known from a flattened partial skull and portions of the thoracic armor.

Yiminaspis
Temporal range: Late Emsian, 407–393 Ma
Yiminaspis shenme
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Placodermi
Order: Arthrodira
Family: Wuttagoonaspidae
Genus: Yiminaspis
Dupret, 2008
Species
  • Yiminaspis shenme Dupret, 2008 (type)

Etymology

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The genus name translates as "Yi People's shield", deriving from the Chinese name Yímín (simplified Chinese: 彝民; traditional Chinese: 彞民; lit. 'Yi People', an ethnic group in China, Vietnam, and Thailand) and the Greek word aspis ("a type of round shield"). The specific name is from Chinese shénme (simplified Chinese: 什么; traditional Chinese: 什麼; lit. 'what'), as in "what is it?" reference to the peculiar anatomy of this prehistoric fish.[1]

Classification

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Yiminaspis belongs to the family Wuttagoonaspidae, and is closely related to Wuttagoonaspis. It is one of the more basal members of the order Arthrodira, as shown in the cladogram below: [2]

Eurycaraspis incilis

Lunaspis broilii

Arthrodira
Actinolepidoidei
Phlyctaeniina


References

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  1. ^ Dupret, Vincent (Mar 12, 2008). "A New Wuttagoonaspid (Placodermi, Arthrodira) from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan (South China): Origin, Dispersal, and Paleobiogeographic Significance". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28: 12–20. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[12:anwpaf]2.0.co;2.
  2. ^ Dupret, V.; Zhu, M. I. N.; Wang, J. N. Q. (2009). "The morphology of Yujiangolepis liujingensis (Placodermi, Arthrodira) from the Pragian of Guangxi (south China) and its phylogenetic significance" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 157: 70. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00519.x.