{"id":21863,"date":"2020-03-24T22:49:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T22:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?page_id=21863"},"modified":"2021-09-09T12:27:14","modified_gmt":"2021-09-09T12:27:14","slug":"fish","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/","title":{"rendered":"Fish"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Fish<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology &mdash; Fossils and geological time<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Fish&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Fish&#038;body=%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fish\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>Fish are cold-blooded creatures that inhabit all kinds of water bodies, from small ponds to the deep sea. They are vertebrates, with a backbone made of cartilage or bone and a brain case protecting the brain. They swim using fins and take oxygen from the water by means of gills (although some also have lungs). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These features distinguish them from: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>invertebrates such as sea urchins, molluscs and crabs<\/li><li>amphibians and reptiles, which have lungs and limbs rather than gills and fins<\/li><li>whales and dolphins, which are warm-blooded mammals with lungs<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the late Cambrian, fish have evolved into thousands of species and today they form over half of all living vertebrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"#time\">Fish through time<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#myth\">Myths and legends<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549583_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dapedium&lt;\/em&gt;, a mollusc-eating, ray-finned fish that lived in Dorset during the early Jurassic. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_63690\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549583_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Dapedium a mollusc-eating ray-finned fish that lived in Dorset during the early Jurassic.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549583_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Dapedium<\/em>, a mollusc-eating, ray-finned fish that lived in Dorset during the early Jurassic. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549583_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dapedium&lt;\/em&gt;, a mollusc-eating, ray-finned fish that lived in Dorset during the early Jurassic. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_63690\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"time\">Fish through time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The origin of fish is obscure, but may be found in something like the invertebrate sea squirts or echinoderms. The nearest ancestor to the fish may have been the chordate,&nbsp;<em>Pikaia<\/em>, which inhabited deep marine waters during the Cambrian. It lacked bones and jaws, but had a notochord (a primitive &#8216;back bone&#8217; made of cartilage) on which were attached muscles used for swimming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, we look at the main fish groups and outline their evolution through geological time.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Jawless fish <\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Jawless fish, which resemble living lampreys, first appeared in the early Cambrian and later evolved into many types, including <em>Loganellia<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em>Jamoytius<\/em>. Some (e.g.\u00a0<em>Cephalaspis<\/em>) were protected by thick scales or by a bony head shield. None had bones within their bodies (although they had a notochord, a primitive cartilaginous backbone) and so fossils are rare.<\/p>\n<p>One group, the conodonts, were for decades known only from teeth found in Palaeozoic rocks, but very rare fossils of their soft, eel-like body have now been found.<\/p>\n<p>Jawless fish ate tiny organisms and food particles from the sea floor and some may have sucked blood.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_31575\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31575\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31575 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549486_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" alt=\"The head shield of a jawless cephalaspid, from the lower Devonian of Wales.\" width=\"960\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549486_1332x690px-960x497.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549486_1332x690px-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549486_1332x690px.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31575\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The head shield of a jawless cephalaspid, from the lower Devonian of Wales. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_21884\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21884\" style=\"width: 516px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21884 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jawlessFishNotochord.jpg\" alt=\"Jawless fish had a number of cartilage arches supporting the gills. Their brain was protected in a brain case and they had a notochord. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" width=\"516\" height=\"286\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-21884\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jawless fish had a number of cartilage arches supporting the gills. The brain was protected in a brain case and they had a notochord. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_21881\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21881\" style=\"width: 507px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21881 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jawlessFishJaw.jpg\" alt=\"The front gill support of the jawless fish folded over and evolved into a jaw. Later, teeth developed along it. In some cases, the second gill is reduced to a small hole called a spiracle. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" width=\"507\" height=\"371\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-21881\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The front gill support of the jawless fish folded over and evolved into a jaw. Later, teeth developed along it. In some cases, the second gill is reduced to a small hole called a spiracle. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Jawed fish<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The development of jaws and teeth resulted in changes in diet\u00a0\u2014\u00a0fish no longer had to eat small food particles, but could catch larger prey. Many different types of jawed fish evolved, but they can all be put in two large groups:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable\" role=\"textbox\" contenteditable=\"true\" aria-multiline=\"true\" aria-label=\"Write list\u2026\">\n<li>those with a cartilaginous skeleton (chondrichthyes)<\/li>\n<li>those with a bony skeleton (osteichthyes):\n<ul class=\"rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable\" role=\"textbox\" contenteditable=\"true\" aria-multiline=\"true\" aria-label=\"Write list\u2026\">\n<li>placoderms (the earliest of all jawed fish)<\/li>\n<li>acanthodians<\/li>\n<li>ray-finned and lobe-finned fish<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_31587\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31587\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31587 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549487_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" alt=\"The head of Apateodus, a jawed, ray-finned fish that lived in the late Cretaceous Chalk Sea in Surrey, southern England.\" width=\"960\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549487_1332x690-960x497.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549487_1332x690-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549487_1332x690.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31587\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The head of <em>Apateodus<\/em>, a jawed, ray-finned fish that lived in the Late Cretaceous sea in Surrey, southern England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Cartilaginous fish <\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Chondrichthyians (cartilaginous fish)\u00a0 such as sharks, rat fish, rays and skates (e.g. <em>Hybodus<\/em>, <em>Ischyodus<\/em>, <em>Spathobatis <\/em>and Sclerorhynchus) had skeletons made of cartilage. The use of cartilage rather than bone was once thought to be a primitive feature, but it is now believed to be an evolutionary advance to aid buoyancy.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Bony fish<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The most primitive bony fish were the placoderms. They had a bony skeleton, an &#8216;armoured&#8217; head shield and plates that covered the front part of their body (e.g. <em>Groenlandaspis<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em>Coccosteus<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Spiny sharks&#8217; (acanthodians), such as <em>Climatius<\/em>, had a cartilaginous skeleton covered by a thin film of bone. Some were marine and others lived in fresh water. These two groups formed short-lived lineages prior to the evolution of the more successful ray-finned and lobe-finned fish.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_21902\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21902\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21902 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/naso.jpg\" alt=\"Naso, a teleost that lived during the Palaeogene, has been called 'surgeon fish' after the scalpel-like bone at the base of its tail. BGS \u00a9UKRI. All rights reserved.\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-21902\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naso, a teleost that lived during the Palaeogene, has been called &#8216;surgeon fish&#8217; after the scalpel-like bone at the base of its tail. BGS \u00a9UKRI. All rights reserved.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Lobe-finned fish<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Lobe-finned fish, which include coelacanths (e.g. <em>Macropoma<\/em>) and lungfish (such as\u00a0<em>Dipterus<\/em>), first evolved during the late Silurian. They had a bony skeleton and scales like the ray-finned fish, but the paired pectoral and pelvic fins were long muscular lobes, with a bony skeleton and rays, that could be moved independently by muscles. Lungfish are still found living in parts of Brazil, western Africa and eastern Australia and coelacanths live off southern Africa and Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>The evolution of the lobe-finned fish was one of the most important steps in the evolution of vertebrates. Comparison with modern fish suggests that the pair of air sacs of primitive bony fish developed into the swim bladder of many ray-finned fish, but lungs in the lobe-finned fish. The lobed fins of\u00a0<em>Eusthenopteron<\/em>\u00a0evolved into legs and the early amphibians (e.g.\u00a0<em>Ichthyostega<\/em>) developed.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_31767\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31767\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-31767\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P550306_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" alt=\"Dipterus, a lungfish from the Devonian of northern Scotland.\" width=\"960\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P550306_1332x690-960x497.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P550306_1332x690-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P550306_1332x690.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31767\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dipterus, a lungfish from the Devonian of northern Scotland. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Ray-finned fish <\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Ray-finned fish get their name from the bony rays that support and stiffen the fins, but which lack muscles\u00a0\u2014 all movement was controlled by muscles in the body. The fins of the most primitive, like <em>Cheirolepis<\/em>, were rigid, but gradually they evolved, through a stage of slight flexibility, into the mobile fins of today&#8217;s modern fish.<\/p>\n<p>Evolution brought other refinements. The air sacs of primitive types developed into swim bladders that control buoyancy. The heavy &#8216;armour&#8217; was replaced, first by thick, bony scales (e.g. <em>Palaeoniscum<\/em>) and then by light flexible scales (e.g. <em>Naso<\/em>). The skeleton of the tail became symmetrical with lobes of equal length, like in <em>Pholidophorus<\/em>, giving strong propulsion and improved mobility.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Ray-finned fish inhabited both fresh water environments and the sea. Many different types evolved, including the teleosts, the group that forms most of the fish of today. These have thin scales, symmetrical tails and very mobile jaws and fins. One of the earliest teleosts was the herring-like <em>Pholidophorus<\/em>, which had heavy, enamelled scales and only a partially ossified &#8216;backbone&#8217;. Salmon-like <em>Enchodus<\/em> had thin scales and an entirely bony skeleton. Later on, trout, cod, haddock and perch-like fish appeared.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_31611\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31611\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-31611\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549581_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" alt=\"The bony, ray-finned fish Pholidophorus lived in Dorset, southern England during the early Jurassic.\" width=\"960\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549581_1332x690-960x497.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549581_1332x690-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549581_1332x690.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31611\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bony, ray-finned fish <em>Pholidophorus<\/em> lived in Dorset, southern England during the early Jurassic. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Modern fish <\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure id=\"attachment_24567\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24567\" style=\"width: 526px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24567\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Living_bony_fish.jpg\" alt=\"Living bony fish, teleosts and lobe-finned fish have, respectively, air sacs, swim bladders and lungs. Their fossil relatives such as Palaeoniscum (a), Thrissops (b) and Dipterus (c) are believed to have been similar.\" width=\"526\" height=\"483\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24567\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Living bony fish, teleosts and lobe-finned fish have, respectively, air sacs, swim bladders and lungs. Their fossil relatives such as Palaeoniscum (a), Thrissops (b) and Dipterus (c) are believed to have been similar. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fishThroughTime.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The evolution of the main groups of fish through geological time. The names of those fish illustrated or mentioned in the text are in italics to show their relative age. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_11112\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fishThroughTime-150x150.png\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"The evolution of the main groups of fish through geological time. The names of those fish illustrated or mentioned in the text are in italics to show their relative age.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fishThroughTime.png\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>The evolution of the main groups of fish through geological time. The names of those fish illustrated or mentioned in the text are in italics to show their relative age. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fishThroughTime.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The evolution of the main groups of fish through geological time. The names of those fish illustrated or mentioned in the text are in italics to show their relative age. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_11112\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"myth\">Myths and legends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tongue stones <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pliny the Elder, a Roman scientist who lived from AD 23 to AD 79, wrote about &#8216;tongue stones&#8217;. He said they resemble a man&#8217;s tongue and were thought to have fallen from heaven during lunar eclipses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In reality, &#8216;tongue stones&#8217; are the teeth of fossil sharks like&nbsp;<em>Carcharocles<\/em>. It was believed that they had medicinal properties preventing rheumatism and, if placed in wine, they formed an antidote against snake venom. This latter notion probably comes from a legend that St Paul was bitten by an adder when he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. It was said that he turned the tongues of all the snakes to stone so that they were no longer venomous. Some people still carry a &#8216;tongue stone&#8217; as a talisman against bad luck.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549488_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;A &lt;em&gt;Carcharocles&lt;\/em&gt; tooth from the Neogene of England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_73510\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549488_1332x690-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"A Carcharocles tooth from the Neogene of England.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549488_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>A <em>Carcharocles<\/em> tooth from the Neogene of England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549488_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;A &lt;em&gt;Carcharocles&lt;\/em&gt; tooth from the Neogene of England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_73510\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Toad stones <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In his play&nbsp;<em>As You Like It<\/em>, William Shakespeare referred to the belief that &#8216;toad stones&#8217; formed inside the head of a toad. If they were removed while the toad still lived, they were believed to have magical powers and so were often put into rings or pendants. When ground into powder toad stones were said to have medicinal properties as an antidote to poison and a treatment for epilepsy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In reality, toad stones were usually the teeth of the fossil fish&nbsp;<em>Lepidotes<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549584_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The source of toad stones, &lt;em&gt;Lepidotes&lt;\/em&gt;, from the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary interval, near Swanage, Dorset. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_24107\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549584_1332x690-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Lepidotes from the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary interval, near Swanage, Dorset, the source of toad stones.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549584_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>The source of toad stones, <em>Lepidotes<\/em>, from the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary interval, near Swanage, Dorset. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P549584_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The source of toad stones, &lt;em&gt;Lepidotes&lt;\/em&gt;, from the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary interval, near Swanage, Dorset. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_24107\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P888335_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pinnalongus saxoni&lt;\/em&gt;. (Devonian, Eifelian.) BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_27129\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P888335_1332x690-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Pinnalongus saxoni. (NMS_NMS-G.1987.7.121p \u2013 Holotype.) Eifelian Age (Devonian Period) (387.7 \u2013 393.3 Ma B.P.) See 3D fossils online. GB3D Type Fossils.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P888335_1332x690-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Pinnalongus saxoni<\/em>. (Devonian, Eifelian.) BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P888335_1332x690.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pinnalongus saxoni&lt;\/em&gt;. (Devonian, Eifelian.) BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_27129\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Many of the fossils in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/geological-data\/national-geological-repository\/palaeontology-collections\/\">BGS palaeontology collections<\/a>&nbsp;are available to view and download as 3D models. To view this fossil, or others like it, in 3D visit <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.3d-fossils.ac.uk\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">GB3D Type Fossils<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilkinson, I P, and Young, S. 2000. Fish: fossil focus. (Nottingham, UK: British Geological Survey.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section   id=\"latest-content-9940-block_5ed52b941e61c\" class=\"grid-section  primary-background   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>You may also be interested in<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ammonite p815563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Discovering Geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"fishThroughTime\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Fossils and geological time<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Take a look at the history of the Earth, from its formation over four and a half billion years ago to present times.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"P550300\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Fossils<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What is a fossil and why do we study them? Explore the different methods of fossil preservation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":36522,"parent":16685,"menu_order":19,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"57722,70595,71634,8129,17664,37527","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Fish - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fish are cold blooded creatures that inhabit all kinds of water bodies from small ponds to the deep sea. 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