arthrodire
Prehistoric jawed fish
An arthrodire is an extinct armored fish from the Devonian period, belonging to a group of placoderms characterized by jointed neck armor that allowed the head to move.
These prehistoric fish dominated ancient seas and included some of the largest vertebrate predators of their time: The museum's arthrodire fossil showed the creature's distinctive hinged skull plates.
Preserved ancient organism
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- specimenIndividual for examination
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
deposit · Morocco · preservation · marine · reef · excavation · reconstruction · stratigraphy
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- bite forceJaw clamping pressure
- carnivoreCreature eating only animals
- hunterPursuer of prey
prey · marine ecosystem · megafauna · feeding · crushing · shearing · ambush · ocean giant
Geologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- vertebrateSpinal column animal
- classGrouping by shared traits
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
- cladeMonophyletic taxonomic group
phylogeny · primitive · basal · evolution · classification · taxon · systematics · ancestry
Defensive metal coverings
- jointShared by multiple parties
- hingeMovable connecting joint
- skullHead's bone casing
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
ossification · carapace · plating · dental plates · body armor
fossil
Preserved ancient organism
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- specimenIndividual for examination
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
sediment · deposit · Morocco · preservation · marine · reef · excavation · reconstruction · stratigraphy · impression
apex predator
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- bite forceJaw clamping pressure
- carnivoreCreature eating only animals
hunter · prey · marine ecosystem · megafauna · feeding · crushing · shearing · ambush · ocean giant · food chain
Devonian
Geologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- vertebrateSpinal column animal
- classGrouping by shared traits
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
clade · phylogeny · primitive · basal · evolution · classification · taxon · systematics · ancestry
armor plates
Defensive metal coverings
exoskeleton · ossification · carapace · plating · dental plates · body armor
articulate, articulation, arthritis, arthropod, articulating, arthropods, arthroscope, arthroscopic, arthroscopies