{"history":[],"article":{"id":"9a0ac384-74c2-4e0d-8015-adb23e834290","title":"Tristichopteridae","slug":"tristichopteridae","content":":::summary\n![Tristichopterids](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Platycephalichthys///teeth///detail.jpg)\n**Fossil Range:** Middle - Late [Devonian](https://bliptext.com/articles/devonian) \n**Image Caption:** Teeth of [Platycephalichthys](https://bliptext.com/articles/platycephalichthys), in [CosmoCaixa Barcelona](https://bliptext.com/articles/cosmocaixa-barcelona) \n**Taxon:** Tristichopteridae \n**Authority:** [Cope](https://bliptext.com/articles/edward-drinker-cope), [1889](https://bliptext.com/articles/1889-in-paleontology) \n**Subdivision Ranks:** Genera \n**Subdivision:** [Cabonnichthys](https://bliptext.com/articles/cabonnichthys) · [Canningius](https://bliptext.com/articles/canningius) · [Edenopteron](https://bliptext.com/articles/edenopteron) · [Eusthenodon](https://bliptext.com/articles/eusthenodon) · [Eusthenopteron](https://bliptext.com/articles/eusthenopteron) · [Heddleichthys](https://bliptext.com/articles/heddleichthys) · [Hyneria](https://bliptext.com/articles/hyneria) · [Jarvikina](https://bliptext.com/articles/jarvikina) · [Langlieria](https://bliptext.com/articles/langlieria) · [Mandageria](https://bliptext.com/articles/mandageria) · [Notorhizodon](https://bliptext.com/articles/notorhizodon) · [Platycephalichthys](https://bliptext.com/articles/platycephalichthys) · [Spodichthys](https://bliptext.com/articles/spodichthys) · [Tristichopterus](https://bliptext.com/articles/tristichopterus) \n**Synonyms:** Eusthenopteridae Berg, 1955 \n:::\n\n# \n**Tristichopterids** (Tristichopteridae) were a diverse and successful group of fish-like [tetrapodomorphs](https://bliptext.com/articles/tetrapodomorph) living throughout the Middle and Late [Devonian](https://bliptext.com/articles/devonian).\nThey first appeared in the [Eifelian](https://bliptext.com/articles/eifelian) stage of the Middle Devonian.\nWithin the group sizes ranged from a few tens of centimeters ([Tristichopterus](https://bliptext.com/articles/tristichopterus)) to several meters ([Hyneria](https://bliptext.com/articles/hyneria) and [Eusthenodon](https://bliptext.com/articles/eusthenodon)).\nSome tristichopterids share some of the features of the [elpistostegalians](https://bliptext.com/articles/elpistostegalia), a diverse clade of tetrapodomorphs close to the origin of (and including) tetrapods.\nThis mainly concerns the shape of the skull and a reduction in size of the posterior fins.\nAn old and persistent notion is that [Eusthenopteron](https://bliptext.com/articles/eusthenopteron) was able to crawl onto land using its fins.\nHowever, there is no evidence actually supporting this idea.\nAll tristichopterids had become extinct by the [end of the Late Devonian](https://bliptext.com/articles/late-devonian-extinction).\n\n# Description\nThe Tristichopteridae were medium-sized (Tristichopterus, 30 cm) to very large animals.\nThe smallest forms (such as Tristichopterus) attained lengths of 30 cm, and the largest forms (Hyneria) could grow several meters long, possessed teeth up to 5 cm long, and were the largest predators in their faunal communities.

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