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- A new study has revealed that Dunkleosteus terrelli, an armor-plated fish from the Devonian Period, may have been much shorter and chunkier than previously believed.
- Dunkleosteus is Cleveland’s mascot when it comes to paleontology.
- The new study proposes estimating the length based on the 24-inch-long head, minus the snout.
- Based on this method, Dunkleosteus was only 11 to 13 feet long.
- The study provides new insight into the species and its environment.
细节
A New Study Reveals Details About Dunkleosteus Terrelli
A new study has revealed that Dunkleosteus terrelli, an armor-plated fish that lived approximately 360 million years ago during the Age of Fishes (Devonian Period), may have been much shorter and chunkier than previously believed.
Dunkleosteus terrelli, believed to be up to 30 feet long, was the first vertebrate “superpredator” and lived in the shallow subtropical waters above what is now Cleveland when North America was near the latitude of Rio de Janeiro.
The study, conducted by scientist Dr. Engelman, applied new calculations to reveal downsizing and chunky details about the species from the Devonian Period.
Dunkleosteus is Cleveland’s Mascot
Dunkleosteus is Cleveland’s mascot when it comes to paleontology, and in 2020, the Ohio General Assembly declared Dunkleosteus terrelli the state fossil fish.
Most research on Dunkleosteus is based on specimens in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and most estimates of the species’ length weren’t based on hard evidence.
New Size Estimates
The new study proposes estimating the length based on the 24-inch-long head, minus the snout.
Based on that method, Engelman concluded Dunkleosteus was only 11 to 13 feet long.
The new size estimates also help put Dunkleosteus in a broader scientific context, as it was likely much chunkier than previously believed.
The study provides new insight into the species, and could help scientists better understand the evolution of the species and its environment.
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