The generic name, Afrocascudo, combines the Latin word "Afro", meaning "Africa", with the Portuguese "cascudo", the common name used in Brazil for certain armoured catfishes.

[1] A physical anal fin is not preserved, and although its presence was argued by Brito et al. based on four rays allegedly observable as impressions, a later comment disputed this.

Their results are displayed in the cladogram below:[1] Diplomystidae Nematogenyidae Trichomycteridae Callichthyidae Scoloplacidae Astroblepidae Lithogenes villosus †Afrocascudo Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus However, in the same year, Britz et al. considered this taxonomic placement fallacious, and reinterpreted Afrocascudo as a juvenile obaichthyid lepisosteiform, most likely an immature individual of the contemporary Obaichthys.

Britz et al. discussed their skepticism based on the erroneous phylogenetic data matrix and reconstruction of the taxon from the previous study by Brito et al., the latter of which does not closely match the fossilized remains.

[4] Shortly after the comment by Britz, Brito et al. published a rebuttal paper, acknowledging that their reconstruction took artistic liberties, proposing a possible in-life appearance for the species.

Still, they criticized Britz et al. for proposing a taxonomic status change of Afrocascudo on the basis of simple comparisons without testing hypothesis (i.e. reproducing 3D renderings), and considered the interpretation of the taxon as a juvenile lepisosteiform or a holostean unlikely.

They also noted the absence of important holostean characters including the canalicules found in gar scales and the presence of teleost fish traits, such as the structure of the caudal fin, histological features, and the dorsal and lateral surfaces which are covered with bony plates and odontodes.

Many other fossil animals have been found in similar outcrops, such as various invertebrates, other fish,[1][6] amphibians,[7] crocodylomorphs, and dinosaurs including the large theropods Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus.