Dinosaurs have a reputation for being the most fearsome predators of prehistory, but a newly discovered skull reveals the fearsome beasts that ruled 40 million years ago when the first “terrible lizards” walked the Earth. Shined a light.
A 265-million-year-old fossil discovered in Brazil reveals that it was the largest carnivore of its time, roaming the jungles in search of unlucky creatures to munch on.
“This animal was a ferocious looking beast that must have inspired pure fear in all who crossed its path.” To tell Stephanie Pearce, a paleontologist at Harvard University.
almost complete skull fossil Pampaphoneus Vickai A skeleton measuring approximately 36 centimeters (14.2 inches) was found nearby. San Gabriel in southern Brazil.
Pampaphoneus Fits into the early therapsian clade dicephalya major group of generally large and fearsome land animals that once flourished tyrannosaurus And my friends. Not all dinosaurs were carnivores, but Pampaphoneus It certainly was.
“This animal had large, sharp canine teeth suitable for capturing prey.” To tell Felipe Pinheiro, a paleontologist at Brazil’s Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), said:
“Its dentition and cranial structure suggest that it bit hard enough to crush bone, similar to modern hyenas.”
A very attractive image (although I may be biased) of the new Pampaphoneus skull preparation. Warning against extremely beautiful fossils.@the_anilson @voltairearts @paleocisneros @MCZ Harvard pic.twitter.com/BulUlJVe1Z
— Felipe Pinheir (@FeliPinheir) September 12, 2023
Pampaphoneus lived at the end of Permianjust before the largest mass extinction event in history occurred, wiping out 86 percent of all animal species on Earth.
“This fossil was discovered in rocks from the Middle Permian Period. Bones are not very common in this region, but they always provide a pleasant surprise.” To tell Lead author Mateus A. Costa Santos, paleontologist at UNIPAMPA.
Other dinosaur fossils had previously been discovered in Russia and South Africa, but Pampaphoneus Vickai It is the only known species from Brazil, and the researchers say the fossil is well preserved.”New characteristics of previously unknown species revealed” Since a small skull was discovered in 2008.
“Find something new Pampaphoneus The skull, which was discovered for the first time in a long time, was very important in increasing our knowledge about this animal. ” To tell Santos was “previously difficult to distinguish from its Russian relatives.”
Pampaphoneus It certainly wasn’t a hard sell. These animals were a formidable sight at 3 meters (10 feet) tall and had an estimated maximum weight of an astonishing 400 kilograms (882 pounds).
Over the past decade, the same region has provided the following evidence: Pampaphoneuscan be the prey of small reptiles last don And that giant amphibian Konjukovia. Exactly the size Pampaphoneus Both creatures look like snacks.
”Pampaphoneus “They fulfilled the same ecological role as modern big cats,” Pinheiro said. To tell. “It lived in the Permian period of South America and was the largest terrestrial predator that we know of.”
The reason wasn’t just its size. Pampaphoneus stand out. Their skulls, like many dinosaurs, were thickly constructed, giving this clade its apt name, Greek for “terrible head.”
New information revealed by analysis of this skull leads researchers to believe that the currently unidentified jawbone belongs to an even larger and more sinister version. Pampaphonus viccai. The researchers say they need more fossils to confirm their hypothesis, but that could mean the terrifying head they just studied is not that of an adult.
“The discovery provides a key glimpse into the community structure of terrestrial ecosystems just before the largest mass extinction in history,” Pearce said. To tell. “This is a great discovery that demonstrates the global importance of Brazil’s fossil record.”
This research Zoological journal of the Linnean Society.