A ferocious prehistoric killing machine terrorized its prey long before the dinosaurs dominated the Earth. Antesosaurus was first believed to be heavy slugging predators from 260-million-years-ago.
Judging by its bone-crushing teeth, massive size, gigantic skull, and powerful jaw, the premammalian reptile roamed the African continent from 265-260 million years ago during the middle Permian era. It was a force to be reckoned with.
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Prehistoric Killing Machine
It was previously thought that the prehistoric killing machine, which grew to the size of an adult rhino with a thick crocodilian tail, was too heavy and slow to be an effective hunter. However, a new study shows that the Anteosaurus was an effective hunter able to track, outrun, and kill its unfortunate prey.
Despite its name, the Anteosauris isn't a dinosaur but rather a dinocephalian -- mammalian-like reptiles predating the earliest dinosaurs. Much like the dinosaurs, dinocephalians ruled the Earth but died off roughly 30 million years before the appearance of the first dinosaurs.
Dinocephalian fossils can be found in many places around the world. They are characterizable by their heavyweight and large size. The mammal-like reptiles had thick and dense bones including the Anteosaurus.
The skull of the Anteosaursus was ornamented with large bumps and lumps above its eyes and a long crest atop its snout, which, together with its enlarged canines, made the skull look like that of a ferocious carnivore.
On the other hand, due to the heavy skeleton architecture, scientists presume that the creature was sluggish and slow, only capable of scavenging or ambushing its prey.
Dr. Julien Benoit from the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of Witwatersrand says that scientists suggested that the Anteosaursu was too heavy and that it could only thrive and live in water.
Researchers carefully reconstructed the Anteosaurus skull digitally using X-ray imaging and 3D reconstruction that allowed thorough investigation of the prehistoric killing machine's internal skull structure.
The Truth About Dinocephalian Therapsid Anteosaurus Magnificus
The study published in the journal Acta Peleontologica Polonica entitled," Paleoneruology and palaeobiology of the dinocephalian therapsid Anteosaurus magnificus," revealed that the dinocephalian had developed and balanced brain and organs that proved the ferociousness and effectivity of the beast in hunting.
Benoit explains that agile predators such as the Velociraptor and cheetahs had a very specialized nervous system and balanced sensory organs that enabled them to track and hunt their prey effectively. The study began when researchers wanted to determine whether or not the Anteosaursu possess similar capabilities and adaptations.
The team discovered that the Anteosaurs' organ of balance-- it's inner ear --was larger than its closest relatives. This indicated that the Anteosaurus was capable of moving faster than its competitors and prey.
Additionally, the prehistoric killing machine's eyes, together with its exceptionally large head, were crucial in ensuring the Anteosaurs' tracking abilities.
Dr Ashley Kruger from the Natural History Museum in Stockholm and previously from Wits University says that the complete reconstruction of the Anteosaursus skull to date allowed a profound investigation of the large carnivore revealing how optimized and specialized its nervous systems was for hunting swiftly and striking fast, contradicting previous assumptions on the beast.
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