Species
Ophiacodon mirus
Ophiacodon mirusOphiacodon mirus was a predatory early synapsid characterized by an elongated, narrow snout lined with dozens of sharp, recurved teeth. It patrolled swamp margins, oxbow lakes, and river channels during the transition between the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian periods. Fibrolamellar bone histology suggests this stem-mammal possessed an unexpectedly rapid growth rate and high resting metabolism compared to true reptiles of its era.
SynapsidCarnivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPalaeoniscum, Diplocaulus salamandroides, Xenacanthus
Predators
- Dimetrodon limbatus
- Eryops megacephalus
ThreatsClimatic aridification and environmental drying across the Early Permian
HabitatsSwamps, floodplain margins, and lowland river basins
Life spanEstimated 15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyOphiacodontidae
- SpeciesOphiacodon mirus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
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- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species known only from fossils; safe to examine in museum collections.
Responsible observation
- Museum Examination: Inspect the uniquely tall, narrow skull and high snout profile in prepared fossil casts.
- Field Geology: Search for Permian red-bed deposits containing articulated vertebrae and limb bone fragments.
Competitor H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Competitor jonathan Chen / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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