I lO 
EXTINCT MONSTERS 
jaws ended in a kind of beak. There are several species, and f 
some attained very large dimensions. i 
In Oudenodon Bainii the skull is six inches long. j 
Platypodosaurus ^ is the name given to a considerable portion j 
of the skeleton of a Dicynodont reptile from the Karoo strata of | 
South Africa; but, unfortunately, the skull is unknown, and it | 
may prove to be identical with Oudenodon. The structure of the 
pelvis, or region of the hips, is remarkably mammalian. The 
name indicates that it had broad feet. 
The genus Endothiodon represents a remarkable family of large 
reptiles from the same strata, distinguished by the presence of 
teeth on the palate. The skull resembles that of Oudenodon, but 
the muzzle is longer. 
Two genera, Placodus ^ and Cyamodus, from Triassic strata in 
Germany, represent another group, the Placodonts, which are 
very remarkable, but unfortunately at present are only known by 
their skulls. These, however, are sufficiently peculiar to deserve 
notice. The teeth represent a curious modification previously un- 
known in the reptile class, but of which the class of fishes affords 
numerous examples. In the latter genus the skull is as broad as 
it is long, and the jaws were very strong. This powerful action of 
the jaws relates to the form and size of the teeth, which are broad 
and flat, like paving stones, and evidently adapted to crack and 
bruise shells of molluscs and Crustacea (see Fig. 29). Although 
now admitted to be a reptile, this remarkable genus was once con- 
sidered by Agassiz, Owen, and others to be a fish ; but where fossil 
remains are so imperfect, mistakes may easily be made at first. 
Tapinocephalus ^ and Titanosuchus ^ are the names given to two 
1 Greek — plains, broad ; pons, podos, foot ; and sauros, lizard. 
2 Greek — plax, plakos, any flat thing ; odous, tooth. 
2 Greek — tapeinos, low ; ceplialos, head. 
^ Greek — titan, a titan ; souchos, a crocodile. 
