Birgeria: a big predator in the lineage of tetrapods in the LRT

There were many taxa in the lineage of tetrapods in the LRT. 
Here’s one more (Figs. 1, 3). Birgeria, a one meter, maybe 2 meter-long predator derived from Pteronisculus (Fig. 2), Cheirolepis, Coccocephalichthys and a long list of even more primitive taxa.

The deeply-forked tail,
streamlined muscular tuna-like body and strong fins mark Birgeria as a fast-swimming pelagic (open seas) predator.

Birgeria stensioei (Agassiz 1844; Romano and Brinkman 2009; Late Triassic; 1-2m, PIMUZ T4780) is a large, carnivorous late-survivor of a Silurian radiation that linked Pteronisculus to Strunius in the lineage of tetrapods. The scales were reduced to an area over the deeply forked caudal fin. The palatine teeth were larger than the marginal maxillary teeth.

Distinct from Romano and Brinkman,
the large bones anterolateral to the orbits are here identified as prefrontals, not nasals. Romano and Brinkman did not provide a cladogram. All known specimens are from the Triassic, but this genus must have been part of the Late Silurian radiation of pre-lobefin fish.

References
Agassiz L 1833-1844.  Recherches sur les poissons fossiles, 1-5. – 1420 pp.; Neuchâtel (Petitpierre).
Romano C and Brinkman W 2009. Reappraisal of the lower actinopterygian Birgeria stensioei ALDINGER, 1931 (Osteichthyes; Birgeriidae) from the Middle Triassic
of Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland) and Besano (Italy). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie – Abhandlungen. 252: 17–31.

wiki/Birgeria