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ESTEMMENOSUCHUS
(ess-teh-men-oh-soo-kuss)
meaning: "Crowned crocodile"
Estemmenosuchus
Named By: Chudinov in 1960
Time Period: Middle Permian, 267 Ma
Location: Russia, Perm region
Size: E. uralensis about 4.5 meters long, E. mirabilis about 3 meters long
Diet: Herbivore
Fossil(s): Several specimens of complete and partial remains of individuals, including skin impressions
Classification: | Chordata | Synapsida | Therapsida | Dinocephalia | Estemmenosuchidae |
Also known as: | Anoplosuchus tenuirostris | Estemmenosuchus uralensis | Zopherosuchus luceus |
About

Estemmenosuchus (meaning "crowned crocodile" in Greek) is a genus of large, early omnivorous therapsid. It is believed and interpreted to have lived during the middle part of the Middle Permian around 267 million years ago. The two species, E. uralensis and E. mirabilis, are characterised by distinctive horn-like structures, which were probably used for intra-specific display. Both species of Estemmenosuchus are from the Perm (or Cis-Urals) region of Russia. Two other estemmenosuchids, Anoplosuchus and Zopherosuchus, are now considered females of the species E. uralensis. There were many complete and incomplete skeletons found together.

Read more about Estemmenosuchus at Wikipedia
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