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138 / Paleozoic
Estemmenosuchus
Estemmenosuchus uralensis
Paired bony bosses formed a rough crown on the skull of this large, probably plant-eating therapsid.
Structured expansion · editorial review pending
- Time range
- About 267–260 million years ago
- Final stage
- End of the Middle Permian
- Geographic range
- Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia
01 / ANSWER FIRST
What was Estemmenosuchus?
This archive records Estemmenosuchus under the scientific name Estemmenosuchus uralensis, with an age of About 267–260 million years ago and a range of Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia. Paired bony bosses formed a rough crown on the skull of this large, probably plant-eating therapsid.
Estemmenosuchus had a barrel-shaped torso, stout limbs and a broad head and could approach cattle in size. Its cranial bosses may have served display or recognition.
02 / QUICK FACTS
Estemmenosuchus at a glance
- Scientific name
- Estemmenosuchus uralensis
- Age
- About 267–260 million years ago
- Last recorded stage
- End of the Middle Permian
- Known range
- Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia
- Broad group
- mammal or synapsid
- Archive era
- Paleozoic
- Habitat signals
- food webs, vegetation, water, climate and competition
- Documented regions
- Asia · Europe
03 / ANATOMY
How was Estemmenosuchus built?
Overall body plan
Paired bony bosses formed a rough crown on the skull of this large, probably plant-eating therapsid.
Skull, teeth and feeding mechanics
The available record is interpreted through preserved proportions, attachment surfaces, wear and comparison with related organisms. For Estemmenosuchus, those observations must be separated from features added only for visual reconstruction.
Limbs, posture and body mass
Estemmenosuchus had a barrel-shaped torso, stout limbs and a broad head and could approach cattle in size. Its cranial bosses may have served display or recognition.
Growth and individual variation
A single specimen does not define the whole species. Size, maturity, preservation and possible sex differences are considered before anatomical traits are treated as typical of Estemmenosuchus.
04 / DIET & BEHAVIOUR
How did Estemmenosuchus live?
Estemmenosuchus had a barrel-shaped torso, stout limbs and a broad head and could approach cattle in size. Its cranial bosses may have served display or recognition. This ecological reconstruction is strongest where anatomy, associated organisms and the depositional setting point in the same direction.
05 / DIET & BEHAVIOUR
What shaped its ecological limits?
Its populations depended on food webs, vegetation, water, climate and competition. Changes in any one factor did not necessarily cause immediate extinction, but interacting pressures could reduce range, recruitment and resilience.
06 / RANGE & HABITAT
Where and when did Estemmenosuchus live?
This archive currently lists About 267–260 million years ago; Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia. Fossil or historical occurrence data describe where evidence has been found, not every place the taxon once occupied. Species-level age and range limits still require source-specific review.
Documented geographic range
Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia. This boundary can change when specimens are reidentified or new localities are published.
Time window
About 267–260 million years ago, with the final recorded stage listed as End of the Middle Permian. Rock units and dating uncertainty mean the true biological range may extend beyond the known record.
Environmental setting
The archive uses the broad habitat labels food webs, vegetation, water, climate and competition. These labels help explore related records; a habitat reconstruction requires evidence from individual localities.
07 / FOSSIL EVIDENCE
What evidence supports reconstructions of Estemmenosuchus?
Primary record
Multiple skeletons, skulls of different ages and rare skin impressions preserve posture and surface texture.
Comparative anatomy
Preserved structures are compared with close and functionally similar organisms. The method can constrain posture and function, but analogy alone cannot prove colour, behaviour or soft tissue.
Age and locality
Stratigraphy and occurrence records place Estemmenosuchus within About 267–260 million years ago and Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia. Reworked fossils and uncertain provenance are treated cautiously.
Open entity records
Links below connect the archive to available taxonomic and occurrence records. A matching name does not verify every ecological claim, and related-taxon links provide comparison rather than an exact species match.
08 / DISAPPEARANCE & DEBATE
Why did Estemmenosuchus disappear?
Middle Permian environmental and terrestrial faunal turnover removed its dinocephalian community.
The last fossil or observation marks the youngest evidence currently known, not necessarily the death of the final individual. Explanations are strongest when timing, environmental change and population biology agree; otherwise the profile preserves uncertainty instead of assigning a single dramatic cause.
09 / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Estemmenosuchus FAQ
What was Estemmenosuchus?
This archive records Estemmenosuchus under the scientific name Estemmenosuchus uralensis, with an age of About 267–260 million years ago. Paired bony bosses formed a rough crown on the skull of this large, probably plant-eating therapsid.
When did Estemmenosuchus live?
The current archive range is About 267–260 million years ago; its youngest recorded stage is End of the Middle Permian.
Where was Estemmenosuchus found?
The archive currently lists Eastern European river plains · Ural region of Russia. Species-level locality assignments and the full geographic range still require source-specific review.
How do scientists know about Estemmenosuchus?
Multiple skeletons, skulls of different ages and rare skin impressions preserve posture and surface texture.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Completed an AI-assisted bilingual audit of the archive record, corrected identified issues and clarified evidence limits; independent editorial review is pending.
- Expanded into a structured bilingual profile with anatomy, ecology, range, evidence, debate and FAQs; independent editorial review is pending.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS