Allometry in the placoderm Bothriolepis canadensis and its significance to antiarch evolution

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Abstract
A set of 18 measurements of the dermal armour of Bothriolepis canadensis Whiteaves (Placodermi, Antiarcha) is analysed with respect to allometric growth patterns. The strongest allometric patterns were found for the orbital fenestra and premedian plate of the head-shield, and the anterior median dorsal plate of the trunk-shield. These are all areas of the greatest importance in antiarch phylogeny and imply a role for ontogenetic effects such as paedomorphosis in the evolution of antiarchs. It is suggested that this is partly a result of the severe constraints on growth in a closed box such as the armour of placoderms, and may be generally true of such arrangements.

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