Edaphosaurus
Encyclopedia
Edaphosaurus is a genus
of prehistoric synapsid
which lived around 303 to 265 million years ago, during the late Carboniferous
to early Permian
periods. The name Edaphosaurus means "ground lizard" and is derived from the Greek
edaphos/εδαφος ("ground, land") and σαυρος/sauros ("lizard"). This genus was first known from remains discovered in North America
, in the late 19th century, and described by American
paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope
. More recently other fossils attributed to Edaphosaurus have been found in the Czech Republic
and Slovakia
.
The most characteristic feature of Edaphosaurus is a sail on its back similar to that of other synapsids of the same time, such as the large apex predator
Dimetrodon
. However, the sail on Edaphosaurus is different in shape and morphology. Along with the reptile-like family Diadectidae
, Edaphosaurus is one of the earliest known large plant-eating tetrapods (land-living vertebrates). Early descriptions, referring to its sharp teeth, suggest that the synapsid may have fed on small invertebrates, such as mollusks, although paleontologists now point out that Edaphosaurus also shows herbivore characteristics.
The sail along the back of Edaphosaurus was supported by hugely elongated neural spines from neck to lumbar region. As compared with the sail of Dimetrodon, the vertebral spines are shorter and heavier and bear numerous small cross bars. Edaphosaurus species measured from 1 m (3 ft) to almost 3.5 m (11 ft) in length and weighed over 300 kilograms (660 lb
). This large herbivore had a massive wide body, thick tail and short limbs which show that was a slow moving animal.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of prehistoric synapsid
Synapsid
Synapsids are a group of animals that includes mammals and everything more closely related to mammals than to other living amniotes. They are easily separated from other amniotes by having an opening low in the skull roof behind each eye, leaving a bony arch beneath each, accounting for their name...
which lived around 303 to 265 million years ago, during the late Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
to early Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
periods. The name Edaphosaurus means "ground lizard" and is derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
edaphos/εδαφος ("ground, land") and σαυρος/sauros ("lizard"). This genus was first known from remains discovered in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, in the late 19th century, and described by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope
Edward Drinker Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
. More recently other fossils attributed to Edaphosaurus have been found in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
The most characteristic feature of Edaphosaurus is a sail on its back similar to that of other synapsids of the same time, such as the large apex predator
Apex predator
Apex predators are predators that have no predators of their own, residing at the top of their food chain. Zoologists define predation as the killing and consumption of another organism...
Dimetrodon
Dimetrodon
Dimetrodon was a predatory synapsid genus that flourished during the Permian period, living between 280–265 million years ago ....
. However, the sail on Edaphosaurus is different in shape and morphology. Along with the reptile-like family Diadectidae
Diadectidae
Diadectidae is an extinct family of large diadectomorph reptiliomorphs. Diadectids lived in North America and Europe during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian. They were the first herbivorous tetrapods, and also the first fully terrestrial animals to attain large sizes. Footprints indicate...
, Edaphosaurus is one of the earliest known large plant-eating tetrapods (land-living vertebrates). Early descriptions, referring to its sharp teeth, suggest that the synapsid may have fed on small invertebrates, such as mollusks, although paleontologists now point out that Edaphosaurus also shows herbivore characteristics.
Description
The head of Edaphosaurus was short and shallow, and remarkably small compared to its body size. The deep lower jaw had powerful muscles and the frontal teeth were barbed at the cutting edges, helping Edaphosaurus to cut bite-sized pieces from tough terrestrial plants. The palate and inside the lower jaw are covered with small teeth forming a large biting surface.The sail along the back of Edaphosaurus was supported by hugely elongated neural spines from neck to lumbar region. As compared with the sail of Dimetrodon, the vertebral spines are shorter and heavier and bear numerous small cross bars. Edaphosaurus species measured from 1 m (3 ft) to almost 3.5 m (11 ft) in length and weighed over 300 kilograms (660 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
). This large herbivore had a massive wide body, thick tail and short limbs which show that was a slow moving animal.
In popular culture
- Edaphosaurus is depicted in the 2005 BBC documentary series Walking with MonstersWalking with MonstersWalking with Monsters is a three-part British documentary film series about life in the Paleozoic, bringing to life extinct arthropods, fish, amphibians, synapsids, and reptiles...
being preyed upon by DimetrodonDimetrodonDimetrodon was a predatory synapsid genus that flourished during the Permian period, living between 280–265 million years ago ....
. In the animated television series Dink, The Little DinosaurDink, the Little DinosaurDink, the Little Dinosaur is an animated series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions. The series originally aired on the CBS Kids block on CBS from 1989 to 1991. The series was developed for television by Karen Willson and Chris Weber....
, a young Edaphosaurus named Shyler is one of the main characters.
See also
- List of synapsids
- IanthasaurusIanthasaurusIanthasaurus was a small edaphosaurid from the Late Pennsylvanian. Ianthasaurus lacks many of the spectacular specializations seen in Edaphosaurus. For example, the marginal dentition of Ianthasaurus is similar to that of insectivorous reptiles, with slender conical teeth which are slightly...
- HaptodusHaptodusHaptodus was a small sphenacodont, a clade that includes therapsids and hence, mammals. It was at least in length. It lived from Latest Carboniferous to Early Permian, in the equatorial Pangea. It was a medium-sized predator, feeding on insects and small vertebrates. It is one of the basalmost...
- SphenacodonSphenacodonSphenacodon was a pelycosaur that was about in length. Sphenacodon belongs to the family Sphenacodontidae, a lineage that was related to the therapsids...
- PlatyhystrixPlatyhystrixPlatyhystrix was a temnospondyl amphibian with a distinctive sail along its back, similar to the unrelated synapsids, Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus...
- an unrelated animal with a sail on its back
External links
- Edaphosaurus at palaeos.com.
- Edaphosauridae – edaphosaurs - (list of species)