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Placoderm

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Scientific illustration of Coccosteus, an ancient armored fish from the fossil record.

Ancient Fish with Strong Armor

Placoderms were special fish that lived long, long ago in the ancient seas. Their name means "plate skin" because they had hard, bony plates on their heads and chests to protect them. These plates looked like armor! Unlike many fish you see today, placoderms were some of the first fish to have jaws and teeth, which helped them catch food.

Many placoderms had pelvic fins, the back pair of fins, which later helped other fish and even land animals move. Scientists found a very special fossil of a small placoderm named Materpiscis attenboroughi. This fossil showed that it could give birth to live young, which is rare for fish! Some placoderms grew very big, like Dunkleosteus, which could be as long as a school bus.

All placoderms disappeared about 359 million years ago. After they were gone, other kinds of fish grew and spread in the oceans. Today, we learn about these amazing ancient fish from fossils found all around the world. They remind us of how life in the sea has changed over millions of years.

Fun Facts

  • Placoderms lived during the Silurian and Devonian periods.
  • They had tough bony plates on their heads and chests.
  • Some could have babies without laying eggs!

Images

Life restoration of Amazichthys, an ancient armored fish from the Late Devonian period in Morocco.
Illustration showing the external body structure of Coccosteus decipiens, an ancient armored fish.
A scientific chart showing how ancient armored fish called placoderms changed and diversified over millions of years.
Fossil reconstruction of Dunkleosteus, an ancient armored fish from the age of dinosaurs.
A fossil fin spine from an ancient fish called Eczematolepis, discovered in Wisconsin.
Illustration of Xiushanosteus, an ancient armored fish from the fossil record.
A scientific artist's reconstruction of Dunkleosteus terrelli, an ancient armored fish that lived millions of years ago.
An artistic restoration of Bothriolepis canadensis, an ancient armored fish from the age of the placoderms.
An artist's drawing showing what the ancient armored fish Brindabellaspis might have looked like millions of years ago.
Artist's reconstruction of Phyllolepis, an ancient armored fish from the Devonian period.
Artist's reconstruction of Kimbryanodus williamburyensis, an ancient armored fish from Australia.
An artist's reconstruction of Asterosteus stenocephalus, an ancient armored fish from the Middle Devonian period discovered in Ohio.
Reconstruction of Palaeacanthaspis vasta, an ancient armored fish from the Devonian period.

Related articles

Dunkleosteus
Silurian
Devonian

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Placoderm, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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