In Photos: Fossils Reveal Bizarre Boomerang-Headed Amphibian
Hunter
An illustration of Dimetrodon extracting an unfortunate boomerang-head amphibian from its burrow. Shed teeth mingled with amphibian bones reveal that the fin-back ate these strange burrowing creatures in the Permian period.
Bones of the creature
A dimetrodon skeleton. These lizard-like creatures are actually related to modern mammals.
FIGHT!
Dimetrodon loomisi, flipping another amphibian, Trimerorhachis.
Perspective
A cardboard cut-out in the Texas red beds offers a sense of scale at the site where the Diplocalus (boomerang-head) fossils were found.
A model to examine
A model dimetrodon in the Houston Museum of Natural Science paleo hall.
Head-bangers
An illustration of two bizarre boomerang-heads (Diplocaulus). The strange heads were likely for sexual display to attract mates.
A painful end
Ouch! A fossilized boomerang-head suffered a life-ending bite to the nose by a finbacked Dimedtrodon.
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