Eryops megacephalus Claw

$10.00

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

Description

Eryops megacephalus Claw Replica measures 6 inches. Eryops megacephalus Claw is museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA. Our precise claw can be used as a teaching tool, museum claw exhibit, home décor or office décor.

Eryops Megacephalus was Semi-aquatic temnospondyl amphibian found primarily in the Lower Permian-aged Admiral Formation (approximately 295 million years ago) of Archer County, Texas, but fossils are also found in New Mexico and parts of the Eastern United States.

Eryops Megacephalus averaged a little over 4.9 to 6.6 ft. long and could grow up to 9.8 ft. making them among the largest land animals of their time. Adults weighed about 90 kilograms (200 lb.). The skull was proportionately large, being broad and flat and reaching lengths of 2.0 ft.

Eryops Megacephalus had an enormous mouth with many curved teeth like the frog. Its teeth had enamel with a folded pattern, leading to its early classification as a “labyrinthodont” (“maze toothed”). The shape and cross section of Eryops teeth made them exceptionally strong and resistant to stresses.

The palate, or roof of the Eryops Megacephalus mouth contained three pairs of backward-curved fangs, and was covered in backward-pointing bony projections which would have been used to trap slippery prey once caught. This, coupled with the wide gape, suggest an inertial method of feeding, in which the animal would grasp its prey and thrust forward, forcing the prey farther back into its mouth.

The skeleton of Eryops Megacephalus was much more strongly built and sturdy than related temnospondyls. The limbs were especially large and strong. The pectoral girdle was highly developed, with a larger size for increased muscle attachments. Most notably, the shoulder girdle was disconnected from the skull, resulting in improved terrestrial locomotion.

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.

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Additional information

Weight 2 lbs
Dimensions 6 in
Eryops megacephalus Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: †Temnospondyli
Family: †Eryopidae
Genus: †Eryops
Species: †E. megacephalus
Binomial name: †Eryops megacephalus
Conservation status: Extinct