How Do You Spell PLACODERMAL?

Pronunciation: [plˈakə͡ʊdəmə͡l] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "Placodermal" is not intuitive, but it follows the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription rules. "Placodermal" is pronounced /plækoʊˈdɜːrməl/, with the stress on the second syllable. The "c" is pronounced as an "s" sound, while the "d" is pronounced as a "d" sound. The "e" in the third syllable is silent, and the last syllable ends with the unstressed "al" sound. The word "Placodermal" refers to a group of extinct fish species characterized by bony plates on their heads and bodies.

PLACODERMAL Meaning and Definition

1. Placodermal refers to a subclass of extinct, heavily armored fish that existed during the Silurian and Devonian periods, approximately 400 to 350 million years ago. The term is used to describe a particular group of ancient jawed vertebrates known as placoderms.

   Placoderms were characterized by their unique dermal armor, which consisted of plates of bone covering their bodies. These plates served as protection against predators and may have also helped to control buoyancy. The outer bony plates often formed a distinctive overlapping pattern, providing a rigid exoskeleton-like structure. Placoderms ranged in size from small, bottom-dwelling species to larger, predatory ones exceeding several meters in length.

   In addition to their armored exterior, placoderms were early jawed fish and important in the evolutionary development of vertebrates. They were among the first fish to possess true jaws, rather than just having a simple mouth opening. This feature allowed placoderms to have a greater range of feeding strategies and contributed to their success during the Devonian period.

   The placodermal group includes several different families and genera, such as Dunkleosteus and Coccosteus, which are well-known due to the extensive fossil record found in various regions around the world. Fossils of placoderms have provided valuable insights into the evolution of vertebrates and have significantly contributed to our understanding of ancient marine ecosystems.

Common Misspellings for PLACODERMAL

• olacodermal
• llacodermal
• -lacodermal
• 0lacodermal
• pkacodermal
• ppacodermal
• poacodermal
• plzcodermal
• plscodermal
• plwcodermal
• plqcodermal
• plaxodermal
• plavodermal
• plafodermal
• pladodermal
• placidermal
• plackdermal
• placldermal
• placpdermal
• plac0dermal

Etymology of PLACODERMAL

The word "placodermal" is derived from two Greek roots: "plakos", meaning "tablet or plate", and "derma", meaning "skin". The term specifically refers to a group of extinct armored fish that lived during the Silurian and Devonian periods. The name "placodermal" was first used by the Scottish paleontologist Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay in 1881 to describe these ancient fishes with thick armored plates covering their bodies.