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327 / Mesozoic
Placodus
Placodus gigas
Chisel incisors and crushing palatal teeth formed a shell-opening toolkit.
- Time range
- About 247–237 million years ago
- Final stage
- Middle Triassic
- Geographic range
- Tethyan coastal shallows · Europe
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Placodus?
Placodus (Placodus gigas) was an extinct organism known from About 247–237 million years ago, with a range in Tethyan coastal shallows · Europe.
Life and ecology
Placodus pried mollusks from rocks and crushed them while heavy bones aided diving.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Placodus disappear?
Changing shallow seas and prey communities replaced early unarmored placodonts.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Placodus?
Skulls, teeth, dense ribs and skeletons directly support durophagy.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS