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Clues to the identity of the fossil fish Palaeospondylus

For more than a century, scientists have pondered over mysterious fossils of an aquatic vertebrate, and argued about the type of creature this species represents. Newly analysed specimens might help to solve this puzzle.
  1. Jorge Mondéjar Fernández

    1. Jorge Mondéjar Fernández is in the Division of Palaeontology and Historical Geology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main 60325, Germany, and in the Center of Research in Palaeontology-Paris, Department of Origins & Evolution, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 75005 Paris, France.

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  2. Philippe Janvier

    1. Philippe Janvier is in the Center of Research in Palaeontology-Paris, Department of Origins & Evolution, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 75005 Paris, France.

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If you look for fossils at the celebrated Achanarras Quarry in the Highlands of Scotland, you might stumble upon a small, fish-like animal, no more than a few centimetres long and suggestive of a tadpole, called Palaeospondylus gunni. This creature, which is the most common fossil vertebrate in the lake deposits there, dates to about 385 million years ago (the Middle Devonian period). It is found hardly anywhere else, and is probably one of the most mysterious fossil vertebrates ever uncovered. Since its discovery1 in 1890, because of its unusual mix of characteristics in terms of its shape, small size, elongated body and apparent lack of paired fins, Palaeospondylus has been interpreted in various ways and provoked many heated debates. Writing in Nature, Hirasawa et al.2 report compelling evidence that might be useful in efforts to solve the Palaeospondylus riddle.

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Nature 606, 35-37 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-01366-y

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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