This Devonian placoderm was exposed down to the tips of the pustular ornamentation on its head and body plates in order to facilitate further preparation by gradual dissolution of the remaining matrix using buffered acetic acid.

Coccosteus cuspidatus was a placoderm (armoured fish) thought to live in fresh water found in Europe. It was one of the last placoderms before the group went extinct at the end of the Devonian.