This big
placoderm, which could reach a length of about a meter at its maximum,
occurs in the Eday Subgroup where it is very rare. Again there are some
differences in the morphology of the dermal plates of the head and body,
but in overall view it compares well with the other arthrodires found on Orkney.
Only Homostius milleri has a different
morphology.
Feeding
habits are still vague but there are strong indications that it was living on or
near the bottom of the river or lake. The picture shows a complete fish with
tail and a partly disarticulated specimen.
From the
specimens available, Miles (1963) compares in a drawing (below) reconstructions
from the median-dorsal plates of some of the arthrodira.
From the
pictures of the specimens on this web page it is clear that his reconstruction
of the medium-dorsal plate of W. fletti is incorrect.
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Scattered specimen showing most of body plates and head |
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Head of scattered specimen |
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Median-dorsal plate, external view |
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Median-dorsal plate, internal view |
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Nuchal plate, external view (cast) |
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Nuchal plate, internal view (cast) |
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Reconstruction of head in dorsal view (after Miles, 1963 ©) |
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Reconstruction of body in lateral view (after Miles, 1963 ©) |
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Reconstruction of median dorsal plates of A: Coccosteus, B: Dickosteus, C: Watsonosteus (after Miles, 1963 ©) |
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