From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ophiacodon is a large synapsid pelycosaur. It is at least two meters in length, the largest ones were 2.5 meters, and the smaller ones were 1.5 meters. Ophiacodon 's size increases as time progresses during the Early Permian epoch until its extinction at the end of the epoch. It is a specialized member of the ophiacodontid family lineage. Being the most famous ophiacodontid in the family, its fossils were found in North America. The skull was deep, with long jaws, and provided with sharp teeth. Ophiacodon may have eaten fishes in streams and ponds, although the high narrow skull would seem to mitigate against such a lifestyle. It's related to other ophiacodontids, such as Archaeothyris, and its ophiacodontid relatives seem to be ancestral to all synapsids, including mammals.
