| Paraplacodus | |
|---|---|
 'An artist's representation of Paraplacodus.' | |
|
Distribution |
Northern Italy |
|
Classification |
Sauropterygia, Placodontia, Placodontoidea |
|
Meaning of name |
Almost Placodus |
|
Named by |
Peyer, 1931 |
|
Time |
Anisian to Ladinian stages of the middle Triassic |
|
Size |
1.5 metres (6 ft) |
|
Lifestyle |
Shellfish-eater |
|
Species |
P. broilii |
Paraplacodus was a placodontid from what is now Italy. It lived during the middle Triassic.
Description[]
Paraplacodus was typical of the placodontids. The species lived in shallow seas and lagoons at the edge of the Tethys Ocean and fed from the banks of shellfish that grew there.
Features[]
Jaws[]
The jaws of Paraplacodus are uniquely adapted to picking up shellfish, with three pairs of protruding teeth in the top and two in the bottom. The teeth project from the front of the mouth. They have a series of rounded crushing
A drawing of a Paraplacodus skull.
teeth in the upper and lower jaws.
Body[]
The thick ribs produce a distinctly box-like body with an almost square cross-section, a strong set of belly ribs forming the flat floor of the body - a heavy design that kept it close to the sea bed.