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Placodus
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Placodus. Illustration showing the body shapes of five extinct reptiles: the long-necked Elasmosaurus, the streamlined marine Kronosaurus, the small Placodus, the large long-tailed Apatosaurus, and the spiked Stegosaurus.
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Placodus

fossil reptile
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Placodus.
Placodus.

Placodus was a genus of extinct reptiles that lived during the Triassic period. These were relatively large animals with short, broad bodies. Their most distinctive feature was their broad, flat molar teeth, located on both the palate and jaw bones. These teeth were adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey, such as mollusks. Placodus belongs to the suborder Placodontia, and members of this group are also referred to as placodonts. It is important to note that Placodus is a reptile, not a fish; the term "placoderm" refers to an extinct group of primitive jawed fishes.123

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  1. Placodus
  2. placodont
  3. placoderm

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