Placodonts
Placodonts are an extinct order of marine reptiles that lived during the Triassic period, roughly 245 to 210 million years ago. They represent some of the earliest marine specialists within the broader group Sauropterygia, though they are not direct ancestors of plesiosaurs.
Two major body plans characterize placodonts. Some lineages, known as placodontids, developed broad heads and robust
Most placodonts inhabited shallow coastal waters and were bottom dwellers. They fed on hard-shelled invertebrates such
Taxonomically, Placodontia includes several genera within families such as Placodontidae and Cyamodontidae, among others. The group
Fossils have been found across Europe, North Africa, and Asia, with notable examples from Germany, Poland, and