Pampaphoneus biccai

16th September, 2023 Environment

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Context

In a new study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, researchers reveal the discovery of a 265-million-year-old, preserved fossil species, Pampaphoneus biccai. It has been found in the rural area of São Gabriel, Southern Brazil.
40 million years before the age of dinosaurs Pampaphoneus biccai roamed South America as the biggest and most dangerous predator of its time.

All about Pampaphoneus biccai

Pampaphoneus, belongs to the early therapsid clade called dinocephalians.
Dinocephalians lived just before the largest extinction event in the history of Earth that eliminated 86% of all animal species worldwide.
Before the extinction event, dinocephalians were one of the major groups of large terrestrial animals that thrived on land.
They were medium to large-sized creatures with both carnivorous and herbivorous representatives.
Dinocephalians had thick cranial bones, which led to the group's name which translates to "terrible head" in Greek.
While well-known in South Africa and Russia, these animals are rare in other parts of the world.
Pampaphoneus biccai is the only known species in Brazil.
“Pampaphoneus played the same ecological role as modern big cats.
The animal had large, sharp canine teeth adapted for capturing prey.
Its dentition and cranial architecture suggest that its bite was strong enough to chew bones, much like modern-day hyenas.
Researchers estimate that the largest Pampaphoneus individuals could reach nearly three meters in length and weigh around 400kg. It was a skilled predator capable of feeding on small to medium-sized animals.