Estemmenosuchus

Skull of Estemmenosuchus mirabilis

• Russia ( in Otschor )

Estemmenosuchus was a genus in the Late Permian, about 255 million years ago, living therapsids ( formerly known as " mammal -like reptiles " ) whose fossil remains in Russia near the city Otschor in the Perm region were found. Two species have been described, Estemmenosuchus uralensis, are known from the skull and skeleton, and Estemmenosuchus mirabilis, are in the fossil record of the skull, mandible and vertebrae. Both species lived at the same time in the same region.

Features

Estemmenosuchus was about the size of a hippopotamus (4-5 m long) and also the shape and probably the life of hippos. The skull was large and massive. The name derives from the genus were two pairs of bony outgrowths on the skull. The name Estemmenosuchus means " winning crocodile ". A, formed by the frontal bone, postorbital and postfrontal couple sat above the eyes, malar and squamosal forming another pair of outgrowths, who sat on the side of the skull. The excesses were less spectacular than in Estemmenosuchus mirabilis in Estemmenosuchus uralensis. In addition, E. uralensis was bigger, his skull was longer. In E. mirabilis, the "horns" were directed more to the side.

The teeth of Estemmenosuchus show a herbivore. He long, curved cutting teeth, large, triangular in cross-sectional thickness and a total of twenty canines very small molars were sawn the front and rear edges.

System

Estemmenosuchus is assigned usually as a basal member of the Dinocephalia. However, some scientists believe that they are more developed than the Brithopodidae and closely related to Titanosuchia within the Dinocephalia. The Russian paleontologist MF Ivakhenko thinks, however, determine on the basis of growth form of the cranial window that Estemmenosuchus is not Dinocephalier, but one belongs independent of these evolved line primitive herbivorous therapsids, which he calls Rhopalodonta.