Here's another dinosaur wannabe, the Marx Dimetrodon (meaning two measures of tooth). These, like the Sphenacodon (covered a few days back on the blog), lived in the Paleozoic era - that period of time before the Mesozoic (the Age of Dinosaurs). Specifically it reigned during the Cisuralian (Early Permian), around 295–272 million years ago. Confusing? Okay:
-the Paleozoic was an era of time
--the Permian age was a portion of that time
---the Early Permian age is called the Cisuralian epoch.
Kinda like a book: you have the book, then the chapters, then the paragraphs, then sub-paragraphs. I find it easier to just know these critters came before the dinosaurs LOL
Both Sphenacodon and Dimetrodon are classified as synapsids - not dinosaurs, but rather mammal-like reptiles - and in fact, Dimetrodon had already gone extinct some 40 million years before the coming of dinosaur's. According to Wikipedia: "Dimetrodon was probably one of the apex predators of the Cisuralian ecosystems, feeding on fish and tetrapods, including reptiles and amphibians." However, I saw an interesting BBC episode of "Walking With Dinosaurs" that showed them to also be canabalistic and quite ornery! While most fossils have been found in the southwestern United States, some have been found more recently in Germany.
Our toy Dimetrodon was also part of Marx's PL-755 Mold Group and measures 3 1/4" L x 1 1/2" L. Enjoy! Opa Fritz
Favouritistest DINOSAUR of all time! I did have a book when I was a kid which banged-on about 'dog-like' prehistoric creatures or something, I ignored it then and I ignore it now! ;-)
ReplyDeleteH
Hahahahaha yeah, once that 'dinosaur' name gets into your head (put there by toy companies who far too often don't know their bloody arse from a hole in the ground) it's hard to get out. I always loved how Hollywood would glue the sails on to an iquana - or whatever - and feature these in old sci-fi flicks!
ReplyDeleteWhat was worse was when they used pre-Star Wars [special?] effects to double expose a tiny lizard or gecko into the action with layered film!
ReplyDeleteH
but it was fun though huh?
DeleteIndeed!
ReplyDeleteH