Background

Dunkleosteus terrelli, also known as the “Dunk”, is an extinct placoderm fish that lived in the Late Devonian Period, about 360 million years ago. It is the official state fossil fish of Ohio, where its fossils have been found in abundance.

The Dunk was a massive fish, reaching up to 8.8 meters (29 feet) in length and weighing up to 4 metric tons (4,400 pounds). It had a heavily armored head and body, with bony plates that protected it from predators. Its jaws were lined with sharp, tooth-like projections that it used to crush its prey.

The Dunk was the top predator in its environment, and its diet included other fish, sharks, and invertebrates. It is believed to have been a solitary hunter, and it is thought to have used its powerful jaws to ambush its prey.

The Dunk went extinct at the end of the Devonian Period, along with many other placoderm fish. The exact cause of its extinction is unknown, but it is thought to have been related to the decline of the marine ecosystems in which it lived.

Today, the Dunk is a popular subject of study among paleontologists. Its fossils provide valuable insights into the evolution of fish and the ecology of the Late Devonian Period.

Here are some additional facts about Dunkleosteus terrelli:

• Its name means “terrible bone fish” in Greek.
• It had a hinged lower jaw that allowed it to open its mouth very wide.
• Its bite force was estimated to be up to 8,000 pounds per square inch, one of the strongest bites of any animal ever known.
• It is the largest placoderm fish ever found.
• Its fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and northern Africa.

Yes, Dunkleosteus terrelli fossils have been found in Ohio, including the largest known specimen of the species, nicknamed “Daphne”.

The name “Daphne” was given to the specimen because of its delicate features, which contrasted with the typical appearance of Dunkleosteus. The fossil is missing its head, but the rest of the skeleton is well-preserved.

Daphne was discovered in 1971 in the Cleveland Shale in Ohio, and is estimated to have been about 8.8 meters (29 feet) long. She is currently on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

The name “Dunkleosteus” comes from the Greek words “dunkle” meaning “dark” and “osteus” meaning “bone”. This refers to the dark, heavily armored plates that covered their bodies.

The background information was sourced from a search using Google Bard AI. Efforts were made to verify the accuracy of the information but since Bard is still in beta at the time of this article, it is possible that there may be some slight errors.

Impression

It is hard to believe that “Daphne” used to be a native species of animal in the Ohio region. We love science here at Visual Ohio, so when we were walking through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources )ODNR) area at the Ohio State Fair, one of the first things I wanted to do was to check out the statue they had there.

The image at the beginning of the article was what we found! Of course, we added the hat for some fun!

We highly recommend that the next visit to the ODNR space at the Ohio State Fair – stop by and visit Daphne!