What is the Placoderms class?
Q: What is the Placoderms class?
A: The Placoderms (Placodermi) were a class of armoured prehistoric fish that lived from the mid Silurian to the end of the Devonian period. Their head and thorax were covered by armoured plates; the rest of the body was scaled or naked, depending on the species.
Q: What is unique about one species of placoderm?
A: A 380 million year old fossil of one species is the oldest-known example of live birth.
Q: When did placoderms become extinct?
A: Placoderms became extinct at the end of the Devonian period.
Q: Where are most placoderm fossils found?
A: Most placoderm fossils are found in strata from North America and western Europe, as well as continental shelf areas around them.
Q: Who wrote a survey about fossil fish?
A: Louis Agassiz wrote a survey about fossil fish in 18th century.
Q: Who showed that placoderms were genuine jawed fish?
A: Eric Stensiö showed that placoderms were genuine jawed fish in 19th century.
Q: Where have more recent remarkable fossils been found?
A: Remarkable fossils have been found in Gogo formation of northern Western Australia, which is a former Upper Devonian reef system with 25 species discovered so far.
