Osteolepis macrolepidotus

Osteolepis is an extinct genus of coelacanth, which lived in the Orcadian lakes of northern Scotland.

Osteolepis It was 20 cm long and covered with square scales. The scales and plates on the head were covered with a thin layer of spongy bone material, called cosmina. This layer contained channels that were connected to sensory cells under the skin. These channels ended in pores on the surface, and their probable function was to perceive vibrations in the water.

The coelacanths They are lobe-finned fish (sarcopterygians) that were believed to have been extinct for 66 million years, until several specimens were captured alive.

Together with the lungs, they are the closest marine living beings to terrestrial vertebrates. They are estimated to live up to one hundred years based on analysis of the annual growth marks on their scales, and reach maturity at around fifty-five years of age.