What kind of fish is a Dunkleosteus?
Dunkleosteus was a predatory fish that thrived on the species of free-swimming fish in the oceans as well as other placoderms. The fish had a high speed of jaw opening and a powerful bite force that exceeds that of the crocodile.
What is the history of Dunkleosteus?
About Dunkleosteus. Dunkleosteus is a fish which lived approximately 380 to 360 million years ago during the Late Devonian Period. Although it was discovered in the late 19 th century, it wasn’t named until 1956.
What is the difference between Dunkleosteus amblyodoratus and Dunkleosteus Terelli?
Dunkleosteus marsaisi, whose fossils were found in the mountains of Morocco, had the same size and shape as Dunkleosteus terelli and therefore is often used as a synonym for it. However, its snout was a little smaller. Dunkleosteus amblyodoratus is known only from a few skull fragments. The fossils were found in Canada.
How many teeth did Dunkleosteus have?
Despite being a fearsome predator, Dunkleosteus didn’t have a single tooth in its head. Instead, its entire skull was covered with bony plates that acted as armor and formed two long “fangs”—one each on the top and bottom jaw. These behaved much like teeth and delivered a devastating bite force.
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What is Dunkleosteus closest living relative?
lampreyAn organism that is the closest living relative to this armored predator is a lamprey, even though they don't have much in common directly. However, these unique fish had a coat of armor surrounding there head and a portion of their thorax, which serves as a type of “exoskeleton” for them.
What was the Dunkleosteus named after?
A Treasure Trove of Fossils The Museum has dozens of the world's best-preserved Dunkleosteus specimens in its collection; in fact, the fish's genus is named for former Vertebrate Paleontology Curator David Dunkle, who during the mid-1900s published numerous studies of it and other Devonian-era sea creatures.
Was Dunkleosteus a shark?
Up to 20 feet in length and weighing more than 1 ton, this arthrodire fish was capable of chopping prehistoric sharks into chum! Dunkleosteus had a massive skull made of thick, bony plates, and 2 sets of fang-like protrusions near the front of powerful, self-sharpening jawbones.
What makes Dunkleosteus unique?
They made two key findings. First, they discovered the jaws could rapidly open and close. So fast that Dunkleosteus could make a suction when opening, sucking prey into it. Secondly, they found the jaws to have a tremendous bite force, on par with giant crocodiles.
What is stronger Megalodon or Dunkleosteus?
Though Dunkleosteus has a tougher hide than Megalodon, and has pretty mean bite itself, Megs was simply a better swimmer and could probably out maneuver Dunkleosteus. Not to mention Megalodon generally has a stronger bite.
Is Megalodon stronger than Dunkleosteus?
Megalodon would win, hands-down. First of all, C. megalodon is considered both the largest shark to have ever lived on Earth and one of the largest vertebrate predators in history. It's bite force is estimated at about 25,000 pounds-force.
Are Dunkleosteus still alive?
Dunkleosteus is an extinct genus of large armored, jawed fishes that existed during the Late Devonian period, about 382–358 million years ago. It consists of ten species, some of which are among the largest placoderms to have ever lived: D. terrelli, D.
What is the biggest prehistoric fish?
Leedsichthys problematicusEnter Leedsichthys problematicus. The extinct fish—thought to be the largest on record—lived about 165 million years ago in Europe and South America. It grew to at least 16.5 meters in length and might have weighed 45 metric tons, which means it was larger even than today's whale shark.
How strong is a Dunkleosteus bite?
A well-known denizen of museum displays, Dunkleosteus terrelli could have exerted up to 1,200 pounds of force with its bite, the investigators estimate. When applied along its jagged snapping-turtle-like jaws, such a force would translate to about 8,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, the researchers find.
Why did Dunkleosteus go extinct?
1:444:35What If The Dunkleosteus Didn't Go Extinct? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell right around the time of its extinction oxygen levels in the ocean dropped significantly a dropMoreWell right around the time of its extinction oxygen levels in the ocean dropped significantly a drop in oxygen means that the big fish that needed that oxygen. Wouldn't be able to survive.
Why did armored fish go extinct?
It was thought for a time that placoderms became extinct due to competition from the first bony fish and early sharks, given a combination of the supposed inherent superiority of bony fish and the presumed sluggishness of placoderms.
When did the Dunkleosteus go extinct?
At the end of the Devonian Period, around 359 million years ago, there was a massive extinction. Around 70 percent of all species on earth perished and the Dunkleosteus was no exception.
What is the scientific name for Dunkleosteus?
DunkleosteusDunkleosteus / Scientific nameDinichthys, also called Dunkleosteus, extinct genus of arthrodires, i.e., primitive, armoured, fishlike animals known as placoderms that dominated ancient seas.
Is the Dunkleosteus still alive?
Dunkleosteus is an extinct genus of large armored, jawed fishes that existed during the Late Devonian period, about 382–358 million years ago. It consists of ten species, some of which are among the largest placoderms to have ever lived: D. terrelli, D.
Why did Dunkleosteus go extinct?
1:444:35What If The Dunkleosteus Didn't Go Extinct? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell right around the time of its extinction oxygen levels in the ocean dropped significantly a dropMoreWell right around the time of its extinction oxygen levels in the ocean dropped significantly a drop in oxygen means that the big fish that needed that oxygen. Wouldn't be able to survive.
Did Dunkleosteus eat eachother?
5 Dunkleosteus May Have Been Cannibalistic So ferocious were the attacks that some have even caused complete fractures in the bones. Dunkleosteus was tactical in its attacks, aiming to inflict wounds on another of its kind at the weak points on the skull. However, it's not clear if these were cannibalistic attacks.
What are the different types of Dunkleosteus?
The species within this genus include D. terrelli (the largest), D. belgicus, D. denisoni, D. marsaisi, D. magnificus, D. missouriensis (discovered in Missouri), D. newberryi, D. amblodaratus and D. raveri. Species of Dunkleosteus vary in size with some growing to a length of about 20ft (making them the largest placoderms to have existed) ...
What is the habitat of Dunkleosteus?
Habitat, Diet, and Behavior. Dunkleosteus was a highly adaptable fish that occupied the shallow waters of seas and oceans of the world. Dunkleosteus was a predatory fish that thrived on the species of free-swimming fish in the oceans as well as other placoderms.
Why did the Dunkleosteus go extinct?
In explaining its extinction, scientists argue that the drop in oxygen levels in the oceans contributed majorly. The reduced oxygen levels occurred during the Hangenburg Event altering the state of the oceans and leading to the extinction of the placoderms. The reduced oxygen levels would sustain smaller fish but not one as large as the Dunkleosteus.
How big can a Dunkleosteus grow?
Some Dunkleosteus species could grow as large as 20 feet in length and 1.1 tons in weight.
When was Dunkleosteus discovered?
One of the extinct genera that have gained popularity in recent years is the extinct Dunkleosteus that was discovered and initially described in the late 19 th century. The fish was later renamed in 1956 to honor David Dunkle. Dunkleosteus is a prehistoric genus of fish that existed during the Late Devonian Period about 380 million years ago.
Where are Dunkleosteus fossils found?
Parts of the Dunkleosteus’ fossils were discovered in Belgium, North America, North Africa, and Poland and have been preserved in several museums including the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
Why is Dunkleosteus so fast?
The high speed was due to the presence of movable joints between the jaws and muscles of the jaws. From remains of the fish, Dunkleosteus is believed to have regurgitated bones of its prey. Unlike most fish, the Dunkleosteus lacked teeth. In their place were powerful bony jaws.
Where is Dunkleosteus found?
The "type species," D. terrelli, has been discovered in various U.S. states, including Texas, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. D. belgicus hails from Belgium, D. marsaisi from Morocco (though this species may one day be synonymized with another genus of armored fish, Eastmanosteus), and D. amblyodoratus was discovered in Canada; other, smaller species were native to states as far afield as New York and Missouri.
What is the behavior of Dunkleosteus?
Because so many fossils of Dunkleosteus have been discovered, paleontologists know a good deal about the behavior and physiology of this prehistoric fish. For example, there's some evidence that individuals of this genus occasionally cannibalized each other when prey fish ran low, and an analysis of Dunkleosteus jawbones has demonstrated that this vertebrate could bite with a force of about 8,000 pounds per square inch, putting it in a league with both the much later Tyrannosaurus Rex and the much later giant shark Megalodon .
What was the largest vertebrate of the Devonian period?
About Dunkleosteus. The marine animals of the Devonian period, over 100 million years before the first dinosaurs, tended to be small and meek, but Dunkleosteus was the exception that proved the rule. This huge (about 30 feet long and three or four tons), armor-covered prehistoric fish was probably the largest vertebrate of its day, ...
Is Dunkleosteus a good swimmer?
Dunkleosteus wouldn't have had to be a particularly good swimmer, since its bony armor would have been sufficient defense against the smaller, predatory sharks and fish of its briny habitat, such as Cladoselache.
What is the most interesting thing about Dunkleosteus?
One of the most fascinating facts about Dunkleosteus, however, is the bite force that it had in its jaws. Scientists have done some research and have crunched the numbers and they have determined that this fish could have bit down with a lot of force.
When was Dunkleosteus discovered?
Dunkleosteus is a fish which lived approximately 380 to 360 million years ago during the Late Devonian Period. Although it was discovered in the late 19 th century, it wasn’t named until 1956.
How big is Dunkleosteus?
And who would blame you? It was probably one of the largest fishes of its time – being 30 feet long and weighing in excess of 3 tons. It was also built like a heavily armored submarine, a submarine with a giant head and bulging eyes. Fortunately, it didn’t have teeth, but it did have an upper and lower bony jaw plate that probably could have been used as teeth, especially with its tremendous bite force. However, none of that would’ve mattered anyway because it could probably swallow its prey whole. It could just gulp it down in one swallow.
When did the Dunkelosteus live?
In the genus Dunkelosteus appear a series of placodermic armored fish that lived on planet earth approximately 360-370 million years ago, in the Late Devonian seas.
What did Dunkleosteus eat?
Later on, when the little Dunkleosteus were born, they would feed on the small fish in the area and gradually they would go into deeper waters and perfect their hunting skills.
How big are Dunkleosteus raveri?
Dunkleosteus raveri this species is only about one meter long and its eyes are considerably large compared to its size.
Where are Dunkleosteus Terrelli fossils found?
Dunkleosteus terrelli is the best preserved and studied species of the genus. The fossils were found in the eastern United States and Belgium.
What animals did Stethacanthus coexist with?
It is considered that he coexisted with mollusks, acanthus, arthropods, sharks and other placoderm, although few were capable of confronting him. Perhaps Stethacanthus was the only one that could contain this large predator.
Who discovered Dinichthys Terrelli?
This discovery would later be described by the American researcher John Strong Newberry, in 1983, who would call this first discovery Dinichthys terrelli.
Was the Dunkleosteus a cannibal?
Many researchers point out that it was at the top of the food chain at the time, it has even been said that it was a cannibal. This was deduced after traces of bites were found in the remains of a Dunkleosteus.
Description
Dunkelosteus belongs to the Placodermi, a family of armour-plated fishes. More precisely, it was an arthodire - one of the more advanced members of the placoderm fish.
In The Media
In the Dinotopia books and movies a massive Dunkleosteus guards the underwater entrance to the subterranean caves that contain the strutters and sunstones.
Where did Dunkleosteus get its name?
According to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH), Dunkleosteus was named in honor of Dr. David Dunkle, the establishment's former curator of vertebrate paleontology, as well as "osteus," the Greek word for "bone." This, per Fossil Guy, is because the fish's head and jaws were made up of giant bone plates that served as "tank-like" protective armor and made it even more fearsome in its appearance. Its remains were first found in 1867 by amateur paleontologist Jay Terrell and his son, who spotted the fossil in Sheffield Lake, Ohio, along the Lake Erie cliffs. Specimens of the creature have turned up elsewhere in Ohio, though it is believed to have existed in most other parts of the world.
How big is Dunkleosteus?
Estimates of Dunkleosteus' size tend to vary — per Reuters, scientists from the Field Museum and the University of Chicago described the fish as measuring around 33 feet in length and weighing in at four tons. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History gives a more modest approximation of the creature's size, noting that it likely was about 20 feet long and weighed one ton. No matter how you look at it, Dunkleosteus was one massive fish, and if it was around today, it would certainly be the subject of many a killer animal film. Jaws truly has nothing on old "Dunk," and would probably swim away in fear at the sight of its prehistoric counterpart.
Why would Dunkleosteus eat its own kind?
However, Hall clarified that cannibalism may be the most plausible explanation due to the seriousness of the damage found in the Dunkleosteus specimens, where there were bone fragments chewed up and removed. "That means there were no environmental forces damaging the bone postmortem," he continued. "Clearly, something was biting on this and doing a good job of taking out chunks. When you try to explain what could cause that kind of damage, you put two and two together."
What is the name of the dinosaur that Terrell found?
Given that the word "dinosaur" is derived from the Greek words for "terrible lizard," Terrell was seemingly inspired by the far more famous prehistoric creatures, initially dubbing his find as "terrible fish" — accurate, but perhaps not the most creative choice. Decades later, it was decided that the animal should be named after Dunkle instead, though Terrell was eventually honored when the largest species was given the name Dunkeosteus terrelli.
What are some interesting facts about Dunkleosteus?
10 Facts About ‘Dunkleosteus’ That Will Keep You Up At Night. by Hannah Stephens. fact checked by Jamie Frater. Although Dunkleosteus is one of the most terrifying fish ever to have roamed the Earth’s oceans, few people know much about this prehistoric creature. Having lived 360 million years ago, Dunkleosteus was one of ...
Why is Dunkleosteus so interesting?
However, these discoveries are so interesting because the bones from the prey have only been partly digested. That suggests that Dunkleosteus was chomping down on its prey and then spitting out the bones instead of passing the complete dinner through its digestive tract. Lovely.
How much bite force did Dunkleosteus have?
What they found was truly astonishing. The jaws were able to snap shut with about 8000 pounds of bite force per square inch. [3]
How did Dunkleosteus sharpen his own teeth?
As it opened and shut its jaws, the edges of its fangs rubbed together, creating friction. Over time, this kept them perfectly sharpened into razor-edged weapons that could do serious damage even to other massive prehistoric sea animals. [2]
How much force does a Dunkleosteus fang exert?
In more modern terms, a Dunkleosteus fang could exert over double that of a crocodile, which delivers a relatively measly 3,700 pounds per square inch. In fact, even the great white sharks of today are only capable of inflicting around half the force of a Dunkleosteus bite.
What sea creature was able to blow up a skull?
Although it’s hard to imagine, evidence shows that these terrifying creatures came to blows with each other. When scientists examined skull bones from Dunkleosteus fossils, they found huge scrapes and gashes gouged into the bone. The only sea creature capable of inflicting such wounds was a fellow Dunkleosteus. So ferocious were the attacks that some have even caused complete fractures in the bones.
Why do Dunkleosteus' fangs increase?
Scientists believe that this is because the diet of this killer fish changed as it got older.
What are the teeth called that are tongue stones?
So, they named the teeth’ tongue stones’. However, today, these teeth have been discovered in different regions around the world and different sizes. The Megalodon’s teeth have a high level of global appeal based on some of the qualities it possesses.
Which is the fiercest predator?
It is also known to be the fiercest compared to the Megalodon, which is only substantial but not the largest.
What is the main food source for megalodons?
The primary source of food for the Megalodon is the whales . Whales are mammals, and mammals can regulate their temperature to fit into different spaces when the waters of the dead started to dry out. The ice ages started bringing water into the north poles, and it was easier for them to migrate and still survive; the Megalodons could not, and that possibly led to their death and extinction.
Why does Megalodon go for the tail?
The hunting skill and style of the Megalodon is so unique in the sense that when it launches an attack, it goes for the tail and flippers of its prey to prevent it from running or escaping from it. It then moves for its final kill. It is according to a documentary shared by BBC.
How big is a Megalodon's tooth?
As compared to the Dunkleosteus, the Megalodon’s tooth is about three times larger. The giant tooth of a Megalodon has its size range between 7 inches. Its tooth size made it easier for people in ancient times to create theories about the existence of the creature.
Is Dunkleosteus a strong hunter?
The Dunkleosteus is strong, fierce, and big, with some level of power embedded in its jaws. It makes it a powerful hunting machine, but none of it can compare to that of the Megalodon. Its weight is much higher. Its teeth are much bigger and have a higher chance of surviving the waters all things being equal.
Does Dunkleosteus bow to Megalodon?
Well, considering the strength of its jaw, the Dunkleosteus has an option of doing some level of damage to the fins or tail lines of the Megalodon, but that is not an excuse for defeat. Dunkleosteus will always find itself bowing to the weight and size of a Megalodon.
Taxonomy of The Dunkleosteus
History of The Discovery
- Dunkleosteus was a highly adaptable fish that occupied the shallow waters of seas and oceans of the world. Dunkleosteus was a predatory fish that thrived on the species of free-swimming fish in the oceans as well as other placoderms. The fish had a high speed of jaw opening and a powerful bite force that exceeds that of the crocodile. The high spee...
The Life of Dunkleosteus on Planet Earth
General Characteristics
A Few Facts About The Dunkleosteus
- A new discovery always means a new denomination, in this case Dunkleosteus, a term composed by the words of Greek origin Dunkle ,which is translated as dark, and Osteos ,which is translated as bone, therefore the meaning of this name would be “the dark bone fish”. The first remains of this prehistoric aquatic fish were found in 1867 on the shores o...