Materpiscis

Materpiscis
Temporal range: Late Devonian (Frasnian), 380 Ma
Artist's reconstruction of M. attenboroughi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Placodermi
Order: Ptyctodontida
Family: Ptyctodontidae
Genus: Materpiscis
Long et al., 2008
Species:
M. attenboroughi
Binomial name
Materpiscis attenboroughi
Long et al., 2008

Materpiscis (Latin for mother fish) is a genus of ptyctodontid placoderm from the Late Devonian located at the Gogo Formation of Western Australia. Known from only one specimen, it is unique in having an unborn embryo present inside the mother, with remarkable preservation of a mineralised placental feeding structure (umbilical cord). This makes Materpiscis the oldest known vertebrate to show viviparity, or giving birth to live young.