New finds of vertebrates in the Middle Devonian Brandenberg Group (Sauerland, Northwest Germany)

Placoderms (Ptyctodontida), acanthodians (incl. Atopacanthus? ambrockensis n. sp.), actinopterygians, dipnoans and crossopterygians — including the first Middle Devonian osteolepids from the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge — are described from the lower Brandenberg Group of Hagen-Ambrock and Lasbeck (northern Sauerland, Northwest Germany). The composition of the fauna is similar to that of contemporaneous Scottish and Baltic Old Red localities, even though typical marine vertebrates are present too (e.g. selachians). This indicates — like the invertebrates — rather a marginal marine deposition.