Fossils of Placochelys dates back to the Triassic period (age range: 221.5 to 205.6 million years ago). They have been found in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Italy.[1]
Species
This genus includes only one species:
Placochelys placodonta Jaekel, 1902 (from Upper Ladinian of Hungary)
Description
Placochelys looked remarkably similar to a sea turtle, and grew to about 90 centimetres (3.0 ft) in length. It had a flat turtle-like carapace covered with knobbly plates, and a compact triangular skull. Its beaked skull had powerful muscles. It had only two pairs of palatal teeth, a large posterior pair, and a small rostral pair. The specialized broad teeth on the palate, were most likely used for crushing shellfish and hard-shelled prey. Its limbs were paddle-shaped for swimming, although, unlike modern sea turtles, they still had discernable toes, and it also had a short tail.[2]
Gallery
Life restoration of Placochelys
Placochelys placodonta fossil skull, lateral view
Placochelys placodonta skull seen from below
Placochelys tooth from Adnet, Austria
Bibliography
Jaekel O. 1902. Über Placochelys n. g. und ihre Beeutung fur die Stammesgeschichte der Schildkroten: Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Geologie und Palaontologie, Abhandlungen, 1902: 127–144.
Mazin, J.-M. and Pinna, G. 1993. Palaeoecology of the armoured placodonts. Paleontologia Lombarda, N. S. 2: 83–91.
Rieppel O. and Zanon R.T. 1997. The interrelationships of Placodontia. Historical Biology: Vol. 12, pp. 211–227
Yin G., in Yin, G., Zhou, X., Cao, Z., Yu, Y, and Luo, Y., 2000, A preliminary study on the Early Late Triassic marine reptiles from Guanling Guizhou, China.
Rieppel O. 2001. The Cranial Anatomy of Placochelys placodonta Jaekel, 1902, And a Review of the Cyamodontoidea (reptilia, Placodonta) Fieldiana: Geology, New Series, No. 45:1-101.
Rieppel, O., 2002, The dermal armor of the cyamodontoid placodonts (Reptilia, Sauropterygia): morphology and systematic value: Fieldiana; Geology, new series, n. 46, p. 1-41pp.
^Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 71. ISBN1-84028-152-9.
External links
The cranial anatomy of Placochelys placodonta Jaekel, 1902, and a review of the Cyamodontoidea (Reptilia, Placodonta) (2001)
PLACODONTS: THE BIZARRE ‘WALRUS-TURTLES’ OF THE TRIASSIC
placochelys, flat, plate, turtle, extinct, genus, placodont, reptiles, erected, otto, jaekel, 1902, temporal, range, late, triassic, norian, rhaetian, preꞒ, nrestored, placodonta, skull, museum, für, naturkunde, berlinscientific, classificationkingdom, animali. Placochelys flat plate turtle is an extinct genus of placodont reptiles erected by Otto Jaekel in 1902 PlacochelysTemporal range Late Triassic Norian to Rhaetian 221 5 205 6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NRestored Placochelys placodonta skull at the Museum fur Naturkunde BerlinScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaSuperorder SauropterygiaOrder PlacodontiaFamily PlacochelyidaeGenus PlacochelysJaekel 1902 Contents 1 Fossil records 2 Species 3 Description 4 Gallery 5 Bibliography 6 References 7 External linksFossil records EditFossils of Placochelys dates back to the Triassic period age range 221 5 to 205 6 million years ago They have been found in Germany Austria Hungary and Italy 1 Species EditThis genus includes only one species Placochelys placodonta Jaekel 1902 from Upper Ladinian of Hungary Description EditPlacochelys looked remarkably similar to a sea turtle and grew to about 90 centimetres 3 0 ft in length It had a flat turtle like carapace covered with knobbly plates and a compact triangular skull Its beaked skull had powerful muscles It had only two pairs of palatal teeth a large posterior pair and a small rostral pair The specialized broad teeth on the palate were most likely used for crushing shellfish and hard shelled prey Its limbs were paddle shaped for swimming although unlike modern sea turtles they still had discernable toes and it also had a short tail 2 Gallery Edit Life restoration of Placochelys Placochelys placodonta fossil skull lateral view Placochelys placodonta skull seen from below Placochelys tooth from Adnet AustriaBibliography EditJaekel O 1902 Uber Placochelys n g und ihre Beeutung fur die Stammesgeschichte der Schildkroten Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie Geologie und Palaontologie Abhandlungen 1902 127 144 Mazin J M and Pinna G 1993 Palaeoecology of the armoured placodonts Paleontologia Lombarda N S 2 83 91 Rieppel O and Zanon R T 1997 The interrelationships of Placodontia Historical Biology Vol 12 pp 211 227 Yin G in Yin G Zhou X Cao Z Yu Y and Luo Y 2000 A preliminary study on the Early Late Triassic marine reptiles from Guanling Guizhou China Rieppel O 2001 The Cranial Anatomy of Placochelys placodonta Jaekel 1902 And a Review of the Cyamodontoidea reptilia Placodonta Fieldiana Geology New Series No 45 1 101 Rieppel O 2002 The dermal armor of the cyamodontoid placodonts Reptilia Sauropterygia morphology and systematic value Fieldiana Geology new series n 46 p 1 41pp References Edit Paleobiology Database Palmer D ed 1999 The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals London Marshall Editions p 71 ISBN 1 84028 152 9 External links EditThe cranial anatomy of Placochelys placodonta Jaekel 1902 and a review of the Cyamodontoidea Reptilia Placodonta 2001 PLACODONTS THE BIZARRE WALRUS TURTLES OF THE TRIASSIC Paleontology portal This article about a Triassic reptile is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Placochelys amp oldid 1106839782, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
