A fossil fish of the former placoderm family Pterichthyidae (now Pterichthyodidae), of which Pterichthys (now Pterichthyodes) was the type.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in James Dana (1813–1895), geologist, zoologist, and teacher. From Pterichthys + -id, after scientific Latin Pterichthyidae, former family name.