| Varanosaurus Temporal range: Early Permian |
|
|---|---|
| Varanosaurus brevitroetris | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Synapsida |
| Order: | Pelycosauria |
| Family: | Varanopidae |
| Genus: | Varanosaurus |
Varanosaurus ('monitor lizard') is an extinct genus of early pelycosaur synapsid that lived during the early Permian (260 million years ago).
As its name implies, Varanosaurus looked very similar to present-day monitor lizards. It had a flattened, elongated skull and a pointed snout with a row of sharp teeth, including two pairs of conspicuous pseudocanines, implying that it was an active predator. It was a small, nimble reptile, up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long.[1]
Varanosaurus probably lived in swamps, competing with the larger Ophiacodon for food.
Benes, Josef. Prehistoric Animals and Plants. Pg. 90. Artia: Prague, 1979.