Materpiscis

Mother with newborn (artistic reconstruction)

• Fitzroy Crossing (Western Australia)

• Materpiscis attenboroughi

Materpiscis ( " mother fish") is a genus of extinct placoderms from the Devonian ( million years ago 380-375 ) of Australia.

The type species M. attenboroughi was named in honor of the British animal filmmaker David Attenborough and at the same time described the genus in 2008 for the first time scientifically. The holotype, the type specimen of the description is based, comes from the Australian Gogo Formation, and is estimated to be 380-375 million years ago. The fossil is kept under the archive number WAM 07.12.1 in the Western Australian Museum in Perth.

For holotype includes the remains of an embryo, which reached about a quarter of the length of about 25 centimeters large dam and was connected by an umbilical cord with him. Materpiscis attenboroughi is thus the oldest evidence of viviparity (live birthing ).

Another Devonian armored fish, Austroptyctodus gardineri, which had previously been found in the same rock formation containing the remains of three smaller fish. After the finding of Materpiscis attenboroughi the Fund was interpreted as further evidence of viviparity.