#biarmosuchus

[knuppitalism-with-ue]

Results from the Ocher sub-assemblage zone! This was our first look into the Permian of Russia. The Russian Permian was for the longest time the biggest influence on our idea of this period, besides the red beds in the US. Never the less we rarely think of these formations etc.

As communities of organisms. Single taxa are well known, like Estemmenosuchus or later in the Permian Scutosaurus, but what these charismatic animals lived with and in what environment is rarely discussed or shown. The fossils are preserved in high energy streams coming from...

the nearby Paleo-Ural. This community was found in copper rich sediments which is probably the reason we have so much material in the first place, as this region of Russia has some intense mining activities.

This forests consisted of conifers but also ginkgophytes with ferns and peltosperms forming the undergrowth while large horsestails grew along the river edges. Estemmenosuchus seems to be the most common large herbivore/omnivore here with whole bone beds full of specimens.

But beyond that we have a fauna dominated by smaller herbivores, a surprising number of medium sized temnospondlys and yes, Biarmosuchus, that could grew to massive sizes. Discord member Eru, who put this size chart together also grouped here a bunch of taxa that might fall into the better known genera but are currently standing on shaky legs. Many of this finds are historical and in dire need of revisions or a second opinion.

[ildarotyrannus]

Two years ago, I took part in a small drawing flashmob about a predatory Middle Permian therapsid Dinosaurus murchisoni. The dinosaur was described from a skull fragment found in a copper mine in Bashkortostan in 1847. A larger skull from the same locality, missing the front part of the snout, was identified as a distinct genus, Phthinosuchus, by the renowned paleontologist I.A. Efremov. Years later, M.F. Ivakhnenko synonymized these genera. Dinosaurus's skull reached approximately 25 cm in length and was high and narrow. The jaws bore narrow incisors, canines with a cutting rear edge, and postcanine teeth with two cutting edges. This therapsid is usually considered a biarmosuchian, but Ivakhnenko classified it as a gorgonopsian. Dinosaurus may have lived at the same time as Estemmenosuchus and other animals of the so-called Ocher fauna.

Two years later, I didn't like some details of the original line art, so I decided to make some changes. Now this drawing looks a little better.

Adobe Photoshop, 2024-2026.

[moschops911]

Mammal-like reptile sculptures in the city of Ocher, Russia. All are Permian creatures whose fossils were found in the region of the city. Sculpted by Alexei Igorevich Tyutnevym, based on reconstructions by Dmitry Bogdanov. 

[palaeopedia]

The Biarma crocodile, Biarmosuchus (1960)

Phylum : Chordata Class : Synapsida Order : Therapsida Suborder : Biarmosuchia Family : Biarmosuchidae Genus : Biarmosuchus Species : B. tener, B. tchudinovii

Late Permian (255 Ma)

2 m long and 20 kg (size)

Ural mountain, Russia (map)

Biarmosuchus is noted as being a primitive theraspid, the group of mammal like reptiles that evolved from the pelycosaurs, and whose descendents would go onto becoming the first mammals.

As a predator, Biarmosuchus was likely a fast hunter capable of running down its prey. This is evidenced by its long slender limbs that carried the body high off the ground by supporting the body from underneath instead of being sprawled out to the sides like its pelycosaur ancestors. Further the feet also point forwards indicating frequent forward locomotion at speed. The dentition of Biarmosuchus is composed of eight smaller incisors at the front, followed by six canine teeth either side towards the middle. The first two of these canines were much larger than the others and were likely the main weapons that Biarmosuchus employed to hold onto prey and possibly deliver a killing bite.

As is commonly seen in predators, the skull of Biarmosuchus is wider at the rear than the snout. This has the effect of angling the eyes slightly forwards and enhancing prey detection. The extra width also allows for more powerful bite muscles, greatly increasing the killing potential of the canine teeth.