Dapedium facts for kids
Dapedium is an extinct type of ray-finned fish. These fish lived a very long time ago, during the Triassic and Jurassic periods. That's about 252 to 145 million years ago!
What is Dapedium?
Dapedium was a fish that swam in ancient seas. It had a unique, flattened body shape. Its body was covered in thick, diamond-shaped scales. These scales were very strong, like armor. This helped protect Dapedium from predators.
Scientists have found many fossils of Dapedium. These fossils help us learn about what the fish looked like and where it lived. Most Dapedium fossils have been found in Europe.
Types of Dapedium
Scientists have identified several different types, or species, of Dapedium. Each species has slightly different features. Here are some of the known species:
- Dapedium caelatum
- Dapedium granulatum
- Dapedium noricum
- Dapedium pholidotum
- Dapedium punctatum
Images for kids
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Dapedium politum specimen from Oxford University Museum of Natural History
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Dapedium pholidotum from Louis Agassiz collection at the Musée d'histoire naturelle de Neuchâtel
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D. pholidotum at the American Museum of Natural History.
