This Triassic giant resembles a synapsid reptile known as a dicynodont, although it reached much larger proportions. In fact, Lisowicia bojani is considered one of the largest land reptiles of its time, rivaling in size with some of the dinosaurs of its time. It is estimated that its body length reached 4.5 meters and its weight was around 9 tons, which is impressive for a Triassic reptile.
The most striking feature of Lisowicia bojani is its skull, which was large and robust. This skull housed a series of teeth adapted to chewing plants, suggesting that it fed mainly on vegetation. This dietary adaptation is a significant finding, as this large herbivorous animal preceded the giant herbivorous dinosaurs in evolutionary history.
Although dinosaurs were thought to be the only giant reptiles that dominated terrestrial ecosystems in the Mesozoic era, Lisowicia bojani challenges this idea. Its discovery in Poland has provided a new perspective on the diversity of fauna during the Late Triassic period and has shown that non-dinosaur reptiles could also reach gigantic sizes and play an important role in the ecosystems of the time.
Approximate measurements of the Lisowicia:
- Scale 1:35 - 130 mm