See text Cheirolepis (from Greek: χείρ kheír, 'hand' and Greek: λεπίς lepis 'scale')[3] is an extinct genus of marine and freshwater ray-finned fish that lived in the Devonian period of Europe and North America.

These scales had a basic structure typical of many early osteichthyans, with a superficial of ganoine overlying dentine, and a basal plate of bone.

Cheirolepis's jaws, lined with sharp teeth, could be opened very wide, allowing it to swallow prey two thirds of its own size.

[5] The following species are known:[6][7] C. schultzei is known from Red Hill, Nevada deposited during the Mid-Late Devonian boundary.

The specimen from which this species was named, consisting of scales and a lower jaw, was originally referred to C.