Paraplacodus

Taxobox
name = "Paraplacodus"
fossil_range = Middle Triassic

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image_width = 300px
image_caption = "Paraplacodus broili"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Sauropterygia
ordo = Placodontia
familia = Paraplacodontidae
genus = "Paraplacodus"
species = "P. broilli"
binomial_authority = Peyer, 1931

"Paraplacodus" was a Placodont from the middle Triassic period, during the Anisian to Ladinian stages. The fossils were uncovered in Northern Italy and the species was named in 1931 by Bernard Peyer. "Paraplacodus" means "Almost "Placodus", and thus far only one species, "P. broilli", has been identified, although as the name suggests, it was similar to "Placodus", and also bore a strong resemblance to "Saurosphargis".

Like all known Placodonts, "Paraplacodus" was an aquatic reptile that fed almost exclusively on shellfish. Most known Placodont species can be divided into two groups - the unarmored placodontoids, which would resemble a large, scaly, tooth-filled newt, or the armored cyamodontids, which would resemble a heavily-armored turtle; "Paraplacodus" would have been in the newt-like family, but grew to a length of 1.5 meters (4.5 feet).

The jaws of "Paraplacodus" were adapted to eat shellfish, with three pairs of protruding teeth in the top row and two rows of protruding teeth in the front of the jaw, with rounded crushing teeth in the upper and lower jaws. Thick ribs formed a box-like ribcage with an almost-square cross-section, which enabled "Paraplacodus" to remain close to the seabed while hunting for food.

References

Dixon, Dougal. "The Complete Book of Dinosaurs." Hermes House, 2006.