Sphenacodon

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Sphenacodon

Sphenacodon was a pelycosaur

Pelycosaur

The pelycosaurs were primitive Late Paleozoic synapsid amniotes. Some species were quite large and could grow up to 3 meters or more, although most species were much smaller....
that was about in length. Sphenacodon belongs to the family Sphenacodontidae

Sphenacodontidae

The Sphenacodontidae are a family of small to large, advanced, carnivore, Late Pennsylvanian to Guadalupian pelycosaurs. Primitive forms were generally small in size , but during the later part of the early Permian these animals grew progressively larger , to become the Apex predator of their environments....
, a lineage that was related to the therapsids. It lived in the Early Permian

Permian

The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Roderick 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 system" after the ancient kingdom...
in present day Texas

Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
and New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a U. S. State located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. Inhabited by Native Americans in the United States populations for many centuries, it has also has been part of the Spanish Empire viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S....
.

Sphenacodons vertebral spines were long, and probably acted as attachment points for massive back muscles, allowing the animal to lunge powerfully at its prey. It was closely related to Dimetrodon

Dimetrodon

Dimetrodon was a predatory synapsid genus that flourished during the Permian Period , living between 280?265 million years ago. It was more closely related to mammals than to true reptiles such as lizards....
, but lacked the large "sail" of that animal.

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Sphenacodon was a pelycosaur
Pelycosaur

The pelycosaurs were primitive Late Paleozoic synapsid amniotes. Some species were quite large and could grow up to 3 meters or more, although most species were much smaller....
that was about in length. Sphenacodon belongs to the family Sphenacodontidae
Sphenacodontidae

The Sphenacodontidae are a family of small to large, advanced, carnivore, Late Pennsylvanian to Guadalupian pelycosaurs. Primitive forms were generally small in size , but during the later part of the early Permian these animals grew progressively larger , to become the Apex predator of their environments....
, a lineage that was related to the therapsids. It lived in the Early Permian
Permian

The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Roderick 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 system" after the ancient kingdom...
in present day Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
and New Mexico
New Mexico

New Mexico is a U. S. State located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. Inhabited by Native Americans in the United States populations for many centuries, it has also has been part of the Spanish Empire viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S....
.

Sphenacodons vertebral spines were long, and probably acted as attachment points for massive back muscles, allowing the animal to lunge powerfully at its prey. It was closely related to Dimetrodon
Dimetrodon

Dimetrodon was a predatory synapsid genus that flourished during the Permian Period , living between 280?265 million years ago. It was more closely related to mammals than to true reptiles such as lizards....
, but lacked the large "sail" of that animal. It had heavy jaws with powerful teeth, including long canines and cutting cheek teeth, which indicate that it was probably carnivorous.

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See also

Edaphosaurus
Edaphosaurus

Edaphosaurus was a primitive herbivore pelycosaur. Along with the Diadectidae, Edaphosaurus is one of the earliest known plant-eating tetrapods ....
Haptodus
Haptodus

Haptodus was a small sphenacodontia, a lineage that includes therapsids. It was at least in length. It lived from Latest Carboniferous to Early Permian, in the equatorial Pangea....