Estemmenosuchus mirabilis

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Estemmenosuchus mirabilis
Fossil range: Wordian
life restoration of Estemmenosuchus mirabilis
life restoration of Estemmenosuchus mirabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Class: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Suborder: Dinocephalia
Family: Estemmenosuchidae
Genus: Estemmenosuchus
Species: E. mirabilis
Binomial name
Estemmenosuchus mirabilis
Tchudinov, 1968

Estemmenosuchus mirabilis (Wonderous Crowned Crocodile) was a large herbivorous dinocephalian therapsid from Ocher in the Perm region or Russia, and lived 255 million years ago along with Estemmenosuchus uralensis, Eotitanosuchus olsoni and Biarmosuchus tener in the same habitat. The variety of species that haven't survived the fossilization process for the same habitat would include many and varied species covering all taxonomical groups. So we can't get an accurate view of its entire habitat.

Estemmenosuchus mirabilis scull - from P. Chudinov, 1983
Estemmenosuchus mirabilis scull - from P. Chudinov, 1983

Unlike Estemmenosuchus uralensis, which had only one horn on each side of its head, this species had 2 projecting bony knobs on each side of the cranium, 1 on the top pointing up looking like antlers and another pointing sidewards similar to E. uralensis . Its snout is smaller and wider than its relative and looks vaguely like a modern Moose The palate teeth contain 6 incisors, 2 canines and 20 back small incisor like teeth. The lower palate contained 6 incisors, 2 canines and 30 smaller back teeth.

There were many complete and incomplete skeletons found together.

[edit] References

Patricia Vickers-Rich and Thomas H. Rich, The Great Russian Dinosaurs, Guntar Graphics, 1993, pg. 30.

[edit] External links

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