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Dimetrodon

Say it: dye-MEE-tro-don

Name means: “two measures of teeth”1

Ate: MeatPrehistoric legendsPaleozoic, before the dinosaursNot a dinosaur, but a prehistoric legend

Dimetrodon was a fierce predator that lived long before the first dinosaurs. It had a big sail on its back made of long spines, and it is actually more closely related to mammals like us than to dinosaurs.1 2

This one is not a dinosaur, but it is one of the most famous animals of prehistoric times, so it gets a place in Dino Wiki too.

Lived

294 to 271 million years ago1 3

Paleozoic, before the dinosaurs

Fossils found in

Texas and Oklahoma, USA, and also in Germany and Canada1 3

Food

Meat1 3

Length

1.7 to 4.6 m1

most species

Weight

28 kg to 250 kg1

When did it live?

Before the dinosaurs

Age of dinosaurs

Age of mammals

400 million years ago25266today

How big was it?

How long was it?

How heavy was it?

as heavy as 8 big dogs

as long as 5 dogs nose to tailas long as 26 bananas end to endas heavy as 50 watermelons

How big was Dimetrodon compared to YOU?

Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

cool stuff

Fun facts

Dimetrodon is often mistaken for a dinosaur, but it is actually a synapsid, meaning it is more closely related to mammals than to reptiles.1 2

The sail on its back was made of very long bones from its spine, and scientists think it might have been used to attract mates or scare off rivals.1

Dimetrodon had different-sized teeth in its jaws, including sharp fangs, which helped it eat a variety of prey.1

It lived during the Permian Period, about 40 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared.1

Fossils show that Dimetrodon sometimes ate other animals that were hiding in burrows during droughts.1

Another sail-backed animal called Edaphosaurus lived at the same time, but it was a plant-eater and its sail evolved separately.2

AI-made picture of Dimetrodon — An AI-made picture of how Dimetrodon might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Dimetrodon

?Is Dimetrodon a dinosaur?

No, Dimetrodon is not a dinosaur. It is a synapsid, which means it is more closely related to mammals (including humans) than to reptiles or dinosaurs.1 2

?How big was Dimetrodon?

Most Dimetrodon species were 1.7 to 4.6 metres (5.6 to 15.1 feet) long and weighed 28 to 250 kilograms (62 to 551 pounds).1

?What did Dimetrodon eat?

Dimetrodon was a carnivore that ate fish, amphibians, reptiles, and other land animals. It was probably the top predator of its time.1

?When did Dimetrodon live?

Dimetrodon lived during the Permian Period, about 294 to 271 million years ago. That is about 40 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared.1

?Why did Dimetrodon have a sail?

Scientists think the sail was mostly used for courtship display, like showing off to mates or scaring rivals. It may also have helped warm up the body, but that is not its main purpose.1

?How fast could Dimetrodon run?

Nobody knows for sure. Dimetrodon walked on four legs and had a heavy body, so it probably was not very fast, but no speed estimates are known from fossils.1

?Could Dimetrodon swim?

Dimetrodon lived on land, but it may have hunted in shallow water. Its bone structure shows it was mostly terrestrial, not a strong swimmer.1

?Where did Dimetrodon live?

Most Dimetrodon fossils have been found in the southwestern United States, especially Texas and Oklahoma. Some have also been found in Germany.1

?Did Dimetrodon have feathers?

No, Dimetrodon did not have feathers. It was a reptile-like synapsid with scaly skin, not related to birds.1

?What is the difference between Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus?

Dimetrodon was a meat-eater with sharp teeth, while Edaphosaurus was a plant-eater. Both had sails, but they evolved separately.1 2

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Myth buster

Myth: Dimetrodon is a dinosaur.

Truth: Dimetrodon is not a dinosaur. It is a synapsid, which means it is more closely related to mammals, including humans, than to dinosaurs.1 2

For dino experts

Scientific name: Dimetrodon
Named by: Cope 18783
Group: Prehistoric legends
Family / clade: Sphenacodontidae3
Classification: Synapsida > Sphenacodontia > Sphenacodontidae3
Age of the rocks: 299 to 267 million years (Asselian / Roadian)3
Rock formations: Vale, Arroyo, Belle Plains3
Countries: USA, Canada, Germany3
Fossil records: 94 in the Paleobiology Database3
Discovery: Dimetrodon was named by the American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope in 1878, based on fossils found in Texas.1 3
Still debated: Scientists still debate whether the sail of Dimetrodon was mainly used for temperature control, display, or something else.1

Where the facts come from

Dimetrodon (en.wikipedia.org)
Dimetrodon Is Not a Dinosaur: Using Tree Thinking to Understand the Ancient Relatives of Mammals and their Evolution | Evolution: Education and Outreach | Springer Nature Link (link.springer.com)
Dimetrodon in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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