Eryops megacephalus Claw measures 6 inches. Eryops megacephalus Claw is museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA.

Eryops lived in lowland habitats in and around ponds, streams, and rivers, and the arrangement and shape of their teeth suggests that they probably ate mostly large fish and aquatic tetrapods.

Like other large primitive temnospondyls, Eryops would have grown slowly and gradually from aquatic larvae, but they did not go through a major metamorphosis like many modern amphibians.

While adults probably lived in ponds and rivers, perhaps venturing onto their banks, juvenile Eryops may have lived in swamps, which possibly offered more shelter from predators

The torso of Eryops was relatively stiff and the tail stout, which would have made them poor swimmers. While they probably fed on fish, adult Eryops must have spent most of their time on land.

Eryops or E. megacephalus means drawn out face in Greek. It was named this because most of its skull was in front of its eyes.

It contains the single species Eryops megacephalus, the fossils of which were found mainly in early Permian (about 295 million years ago) rocks of the Texas Red Beds, located in Archer County, Texas.

Fossils have also been found in late Carboniferous period rocks from New Mexico. Several complete skeletons of Eryops have been found in lower Permian rocks, but skull bones and teeth are its most common fossils.

E. megacephalus or Eryops averaged a little over 4.9–6.6 ft. long and could grow up to 9.8 ft. making them among the largest land animals of their time.

Adults weighed between 225 and 489 lb. The skull was proportionately large, being broad and flat and reaching lengths of 2.0 ft.

It had an enormous mouth with many curved teeth, like those of frogs. Its teeth had enamel with a folded pattern, leading to its early classification as a “labyrinthodont” (“maze toothed”).

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