- Ctenospondylus
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Ctenospondylus
Temporal range: Latest Carboniferous - Early Permian
Ctenospondylus casei from the Early Permian of North America Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Synapsida Order: Pelycosauria Family: Sphenacodontidae Genus: Ctenospondylus Species - †C. casei
- †C. ninevehensis
Ctenospondylus, ("comb vertebra") was a pelycosaur that was about 3 meters (10 feet) long. It lived from Latest Carboniferous to Early Permian. Its fossils were found in the U.S. states of Ohio and Texas. It was a carnivore and preyed upon animals close to its size. Ctenospondylus had a long tail, short back spines, and a very deep yet narrow skull with massive jaws that had sharp teeth. Because of its large size, it was probably the apex predator in its environment, and might have competed with other predators like Dimetrodon for food. A Sphenacodontid, it was a close relative of Dimetrodon. A species has been found in Ohio, along with Dimetrodon, Edaphosaurus, Ophiacodon, and Eryops, according to the latest Fossils of Ohio book.
Gallery
See also
- List of synapsids
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