Explore this animal in Size of Extinct Animals ↗
529 / Paleozoic
Uranocentrodon
Uranocentrodon senekalensis
A broad flat head, strong trunk and compressed tail belonged to a large aquatic predator.
View original image · 1600 × 1067- Time range
- About 255–252 million years ago
- Final stage
- End of the Permian
- Geographic range
- Large freshwater rivers and lakes · South Africa
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Uranocentrodon?
Uranocentrodon (Uranocentrodon senekalensis) was an extinct organism known from About 255–252 million years ago, with a range in Large freshwater rivers and lakes · South Africa.
Life and ecology
It waited on the bottom for fish and smaller tetrapods.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Uranocentrodon disappear?
The end-Permian extinction collapsed freshwater food webs and is the likely setting for the end of its lineage; a species-level cause is not established.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Uranocentrodon?
Mass remains and skulls preserve lateral lines, teeth and vertebrae indicating aquatic life.
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?
- Rewrote an extinction cause that presented environmental or faunal turnover as established; it is now given as context the record does not prove.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS