Gaiasia has a broad flattened skull, large keeled
branchial elements (throat or gill bones), a reinforced neck, and massive interlocking fangs at the front of the snout. Together these traits indicate that it was well-adapted for both
suction feeding and a strong bite. The front edge of the snout is not fully preserved, but the profile of the skull shows that the snout is short and boxy. The bones of the
skull roof are thin and ornamented by radiating ridges and grooves. A
pineal foramen is absent, but
lateral line canals are well-developed and a small
intertemporal bone is present. Most unique features relate to the
palate (roof of the mouth). The
parasphenoid bone (which forms the floor of the braincase) is large and wide, with a blunt front tip, but the interpterygoid vacuities (large holes which flank the parasphenoid) are narrow. The paired bones at the front of the palate have large fangs: two fangs on each
vomer, one per
palatine, and one per
ectopterygoid. Each fang is paired with a large pit which hosts developing
replacement teeth. to . == References ==