Rhizodus
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Rhizodus Temporal range: Carboniferous 330–300 Ma |
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| Fossil tooth of Rhizodus hibberti | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sarcopterygii |
| Clade: | Tetrapodomorpha |
| Order: | †Rhizodontida |
| Family: | †Rhizodontidae |
| Genus: |
†Rhizodus Owen, 1840 |
| Species: | †R. hibberti |
| Binomial name | |
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Rhizodus hibberti Owen, 1840 |
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Rhizodus (root tooth) is an extinct genus of rhizodont, a branch of the Sarcopterygii, the bony vertebrate clade that also includes tetrapods. It was of enormous size, reaching 6–7 metres (20–23 ft) in length.
The most notable characteristics of Rhizodus, compared to other giant lobe-fins such as Barameda, were the two 22 centimetres (8.7 in) fangs located near the front of its jaws, followed by other teeth scaling downwards in size. Rhizodus was a giant apex predator that resided in freshwater lakes, river systems and large swamps in the entire Carboniferous period, feeding on small to medium-sized amphibians, using its teeth to kill prey and rip it into digestible sizes, rather than swallowing prey whole like other, smaller-toothed sarcopterygians.
Fossil skin imprints show that Rhizodus had large, plate-like scales, similar to those found on modern day arapaima.
Rhizodus fossils have been found in Scotland, Ireland and North America, dating back to the Early Carboniferous.
Rhizodus lived in a swampy environment full of lush, tropical plants that evolved then.
Rhizodus' diet includes medium sized fish and temnospondyls. It has been proposed that Rhizodus may have lunged at terrestrial, shorebound prey, just like a modern day crocodile.
Rhizodus is featured in the forty-third episode of River Monsters, labelled "Prehistoric Terror". Host Jeremy Wade labels it as "the ultimate river monster" during his investigation due to its immense size, power and possible ferocity due to its ability to tear flesh and crush bone.
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Wikipedia