Rhizodus


Rhizodus is an extinct genus in the clade Sarcopterygii.

Description

The most notable characteristics of Rhizodus, compared to other giant lobe-fins such as Barameda, were the two 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.

Diet

Rhizodus' diet includes medium sized fish and tetrapods. It has been proposed that Rhizodus may have lunged at terrestrial, shorebound prey, just like a modern-day crocodile.