The interrelationships and evolutionary history of anaspides

A new hypothesis for an anaspid phylogeny, including both articulated and disarticulated material, is proposed based on information from analyses using maximum parsimony. This study benefits from the opportunity to compare suggested topologies with a refined stratigraphic record, which agrees much better with the present phylogeny than previous ones. It is suggested that a large number of gill openings, fused skull bones and elongated paired fins, seen in Pharyngolepis, are derived characters among anaspids, placing forms such as Lasanius and Birkenia in a more basal position. The analysis also suggests that the birkeniid anaspids, with their scale covered body, may be a paraphyletic group since Euphanerops may be a derived and naked anaspid rather than a sister taxon