Reptile
Placodus gigas
Placodus gigasPlacodus gigas was a robust marine reptile adapted for life in shallow coastal waters during the Middle Triassic period. Its barrel-shaped body and heavily thickened bones acted as natural ballast, allowing it to cruise along the seabed without expending excess energy. Forward-projecting incisors plucked hard-shelled invertebrates from the substrate, while expansive, pavement-like palate teeth crushed them with formidable biting force.
PrehistoricMarine Reptile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyBivalves, Brachiopods, Gastropods
Predators
- Nothosaurus
- Cymbospondylus
- Large prehistoric sharks
ThreatsMarine ecosystem shifts and extinction events during the Triassic period
HabitatsWarm, shallow epicontinental seas and coastal lagoons
Life spanEstimated 15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyPlacodontidae
- GenusPlacodus
- SpeciesPlacodus gigas
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from fossil records.
Responsible observation
- Museum Specimens: Examine articulated skeletons in paleontology museums to see the unique, flattened crushing teeth.
- Fossil Sites: Look for diagnostic dental plates and thick rib fragments in limestone layers of the Germanic Basin.
Image unavailableOrder Placodontia Order Placodontia Contemporary Predator
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