Placodus

Placodus is a genus of extinct marine reptiles known for their large, flattened teeth that resemble those of modern-day dugongs and manatees. These marine reptiles lived during the Jurassic period, approximately 180 million years ago. They were not agile swimmers and instead favored a life close to the sea floor, where they could walk on their large, sturdy limbs. Placodus had a specialized diet that likely included hard-shelled marine animals such as mollusks. This reptile's name is derived from the Greek words 'plax' meaning flat and 'odos' meaning tooth, which perfectly describes their distinctive dentition.