Placochelys

Taxobox
name = "Placochelys"
fossil_range = Mid to Late Triassic


image_width = 250px
image_caption = life restoration of "Placochelys"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Placodontia
familia = ?Cyamodontidae
genus = "Placochelys"

"Placochelys" ('flat-plate turtle") is an extinct genus of reptile from the Triassic period. It was about 90 cm (3 ft) long.

"Placochelys" looked remarkably similar to a sea turtle, possessing the same flippers (albeit with short toes), flat but knobbly shell and compact skull. Its skull had beaked, mostly toothless jaws with specialized broad teeth on the pallet, used for crushing shellfish armor. It's fossils were found in Germany.

Cultural Reference

Placochelys was featured in the video game Paraworld