Lesson plan
Psephoderma
Psephoderma (meaning "pebbly skin", from the Ancient Greek psepho (ψῆφος), "pebbly", and derma (δέρμα), "skin") is a genus of placodonts very similar to the related genera Placochelys and Cyamodus. Psephoderma had a flattened skull and a narrow, straight rostrum, much narrower than that of its relatives. Inside this skull, embedded in the jaws, were rounded teeth specialized for crushing the shellfish it ate. Unlike henodontid placodonts, Psephoderma ' s carapace was divided into two pieces, one on the shoulders and back, and another on the ventral end. Psephoderma grew to long, larger than many of its relatives, and lived in the Late Triassic (Norian - Rhaetian), about 210 million years ago. It was one of the last placodonts to live. Fossils of Psephoderma have been found in the Rhaetian deposits in the Alps and in England, hence the specific names.
Article summary
Psephoderma (meaning "pebbly skin", from the Ancient Greek psepho (ψῆφος), "pebbly", and derma (δέρμα), "skin") is a genus of placodonts very similar to the related genera Placochelys and Cyamodus. Psephoderma had a flattened skull and a narrow, straight rostrum, much narrower than that of its relatives. Inside this skull, embedded in the jaws, were rounded teeth specialized for crushing the shellfish it ate. Unlike henodontid placodonts, Psephoderma ' s carapace was divided into two pieces, one on the shoulders and back, and another on the ventral end. Psephoderma grew to long, larger than many of its relatives, and lived in the Late Triassic (Norian - Rhaetian), about 210 million years ago. It was one of the last placodonts to live. Fossils of Psephoderma have been found in the Rhaetian deposits in the Alps and in England, hence the specific names.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
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