The exoskeleton of vertebrates: the geometric regularities of the formation of armor relief in early jawless vertebrates (Agnatha, Vertebrata)

Abstract

Based on the analysis of information on the structure of the hard cover of different taxons of osteostracan jawless vertebrates (Osteostraci, Agnatha), the geometric regularities of the formation of possible variants of armor relief during the exoskeletal morphogenesis of vertebrates are revealed. A circular model of the сonstruction of superficial relief is proposed. It is shown that the early vertebrates have already possessed the mechanism providing realization of complete set of variants of the formation of exoskeletal sculpture of different types.