| “ | Edaphosaurus. They're three meters long, as big as hippos, and like them, they're vegetarians. | „ |
| — Allen Johnson, about Edaphosaurus in Sail Backs | ||
Edaphosaurus (name meaning "Pavement Lizard") is a genus of edaphosaurid synapsid that originated during the Early Permian Era in what is now North America and Europe. Measuring over three meters long and weighing 300 kg, this hippopotamus-sized, sail-back mammal-like reptilian herbivore was the first plant-eating reptile to evolve.
In the Series 1 episode "Sail Backs", a herd of a dozen Edaphosaurus were brought to the park from Early Permian Europe, 280 million years ago.
Facts[]
Era & Discovery[]
Edaphosaurus lived during the Early Permian Era, 280 to 260 million years ago. Perhaps the largest herbivorous animal of its environment, it lived alongside animals such as Dimetrodon and Seymoria.
Physical Attributes[]
Measuring around 11 feet (3.5 m) long and weighing 300 kg (660 lb), roughly the size of a hippo, Edaphosaurus was a large mammal-like reptile which resembled its distant relative Dimetrodon. It had a large and long sail running down its spine which was vividly colored and patterned. However, unlike Dimetrodon, it had a small head with chisel-shaped teeth designed to grind up plant matter: Edaphosaurus was one of the first truly herbivorous reptiles.
Edaphosaurus was blue with yellow stripes. Its sail had an eye-shaped pattern on it.
Edaphosaurus skeleton
Behavior & Traits[]
Edaphosaurus lived in herds from tens to hundreds of individuals. In these large groups, they nurtured and protected their offspring. The sail of Edaphosaurus was a sophisticated temperature-controlling device. The sail worked as a solar panel. In the morning, the creature was turn its sail towards the sun to absorb the heat. Doing this allowed it to warm up. During midday, Edaphosaurus probably turned its sail away from the sun to cool itself down.
Edaphosaurus' sail could also be used as a method of intimidation and display. It could flush blood into the sail to create a bright pattern of color, similar to what Stegosaurus did when it flushed blood into its plates to scare away predators. This was useful for many situations, i.e. being attacked by a Dimetrodon, but not always, as the predators of the early Permian evolved into being intelligent enough to recognize the bluff. Still, adult Edaphosaurus was practically invulnerable due to their size, and even Dimetrodon preferred to hunt juveniles instead.