New species of fish identified by Philly paleontologists

A new predatory fish from fossils found in the Arctic Circle of Canada has been discovered by a group of Philadelphia based researchers.

The newly named Laccognathus embryi was up to six-feet long with a wide head, tiny eyes and fang-like teeth, serving as a “sit and wait” type of predator.

Paleontologists Dr. Jason Downs and Dr. Ted Daeschler with the Academy of Natural Sciences tell NewsWorks.org the fish had lobed fins that were an early precursor to limbs and was one of the earliest distant cousins of humans.

The researchers assembled the specimen with fossils collected from five trips to the Arctic Circle over the last 10 years.

Dr. Downs is the lead author of the paper naming the species, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Click here to read the full NewsWorks.org report “Philly paleontologists dub predatory prehistoric fish”