Furcacaudidae
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| Furcacaudidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Furcacauda fredholmae | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Class: | †Thelodonti |
| Order: | †Furcacaudiformes |
| Family: | †Furcacaudidae Wilson & Caldwell, 1998 |
| Type genus | |
| †Furcacauda | |
| Genera | |
Furcacaudidae, the "'fork-tailed' agnathans," is an extinct family of thelodontid agnathans from the Lochkovian stage of the Early Devonian epoch and Wenlockian epoch of the Silurian, known from fossils found in Northern Canada. It is the type family of the order Furcacaudiformes, and itself currently includes 6 known species. It was officially described in 1998 by Mark V. H. Wilson and Michael W. Caldwell. [1]
A study in 2009 published by Wilson and Tiiu Märss moved members of Furcacaudiformes (and by extension Furcacaudidae) into a more basal position based on a more up-to-date data matrix, suggesting the divergence of Furcacaudidae from other thelodonts occurred earlier than previously theorized.[2]
According to Wilson and Märss' 2009 study, Furcacaudidae are more basal members of Furcacaudiformes, having diverged earlier than other members of the order. The following is a portion of the 2009 revised cladogram, demonstrating Furcacaudidae's position in relation to the order Furcacaudiformes.[2]
