Ulemosaurus

Ulemosaurus svijagensis

• Russia ( Ischejewo fauna )

• Ulemosaurus svijagensis Ryabinin, 1938

Ulemosaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous Dinocephalier, a taxon of basal therapsids (the so -called " mammal -like reptiles "). The fossils whose age is about 265 million years, are from the Middle Permian of Russia and the Ischejewo fauna are attributed. Ulemosaurus is the only known representative of the Tapinocephaliden, whose remains were found outside of South Africa.

Fossil record and Body

The first description was made ​​Ryabinin 1938 based on a single skull. Additional copies are also known from skeletal remains, as well as several incomplete postcranial elements. Next to a shoulder belt, these also include a humerus, radius and ulna, and some vertebrae.

The skull reached a length of up to 30 centimeters, the total body length of the animal was about 3 meters. Ulemosaurus show a narrow, pointed snout, which was occupied with finger-shaped interlocking large incisors, canines and medium-sized smaller molars. The postorbital region of the skull ( behind the eyes ) was very wide and high. As with all Dinocephaliern the calvarium was thickened with a pronounced Pachyostose over the eye sockets. The temple openings were relatively large for a Tapinocephaliden.

Another feature of Ulemosaurus was typical for the representatives of Tapinocephaliden unconventional posture. While the front limbs were still spread like the Pelycosauriern, the animal the shorter hind legs already held under the waist, so as to have an attitude similar to that of a modern giraffe.

Due to numerous anatomical similarities held to Ulemosaurus svijagensis initially only for a new kind of South African genus Moschops. Today Ulemosaurus is however regarded by most scientists as a distinct genus, which, although closely related to Moschops but has some archaic features.

Way of life

The strongly thickened frontal bone bone has led to the suggestion that Ulemosaurus like other Dinocephalier started also at the head area and mating battles as a weapon. Not backed up is also whether the genus mainly lived on dry land or, as stated, particularly in older publications, an at least semi- aquatic lifestyle possessed. However, a behavior as the head bumping speaks against this assumption.

The dietary habits of Ulemosaurus are also controversial. Although leaves the posture of the animal suggest that it was a Laubäser. The tooth structure can, however, rather close to an omnivorous diet.