Dunkleosteus was a species of large arthrodire fish that existed during the Late Devonian period (382-358 million years ago), being one of the first apex predators of any ecosystem. A pelagic fish, Dunkleosteus primarily inhabited open waters and was active across the world, with fossils being discovered in North America, Morocco, Belgium and Poland.
It is one of the largest discovered placoderms, with size ranges debated from 4.1-10 meters (13-33 ft), and is known for it's unique armor plating and appearance. Dunkleosteus hunted various fish, other placoderms, and other creatures such as ammonites. Dunkleosteus was wiped out around 359 million years ago during the Late Devonian extinction event, which saw 70-80% of all animals on earth go extinct, likely caused by significant oceanic environment changes and a drop in oxygen.
Battle vs. Xiphactinus (by GardenofSound)[]
TBW.
Expert's Opinion[]
TBD.