# Microbrachiidae

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**Microbrachiidae** is an extinct [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) of tiny, advanced [antiarch](/source/Antiarch) [placoderms](/source/Placoderm) closely related to the [bothriolepidids](/source/Bothriolepididae).

Although most species are known from Late Emsian-aged strata of Early Devonian China, the [type](/source/Type_species) and youngest species, *[Microbrachius](/source/Microbrachius) dicki*, is known from upper [Givetian](/source/Givetian) freshwater strata of [Scotland](/source/Scotland) and [Estonia](/source/Estonia).

When *Microbrachius* was regarded as an Antiarch *[incertae sedis](/source/Incertae_sedis)*, the other genera were thought to be very small bothriolepids.

## Genera

### *Hohsienolepis*

Fossils of this genus are found in the Xindu Formation portion of the Late Emsian-aged Chuandong Assembly, in [Pingle](/source/Pingle_County), [Guangxi](/source/Guangxi) Province, China. Compared to other microbrachiid genera, *Hohsienolepis* has a comparatively small head, and an elongated thorax. The armor plates are covered in rows of small tubercles, in a pattern similar to that of *M. sinensis*.

### *Microbrachium*

A genus of very small antiarchs, originally described from *M. dicki*, of Upper Givetian strata of Scotland and Estonia, including the John O'Groats sandstone of [Caithness](/source/Caithness), and the Eday beds of the [Orkney Islands](/source/Orkney_Islands). The various species have proportionally big heads and short thoracic armors. The armor plates are decorated in small tubercles. During the 1980s, two more species were described from slightly older strata in [China](/source/China).

### *Wudinolepis*

As the generic name suggests, *Wudinolepis* is found in Wuding, [Yunnan](/source/Yunnan), China in a Late Emsian-aged stratum called the Jiucheng Formation. It is even smaller than *Microbrachius*, with the length of its (thoracic) shield around 2 centimeters. *Wudinolepis* was once placed in its own family, "Wudinolepidae", though Denison (1978) placed it within Bothriolepidae, saying that nothing in the original description excluded it from the latter family. Later, when Microbrachiidae was erected, *Wudinolepis* was placed within it.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microbrachiidae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbrachiidae) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbrachiidae?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.