Seymouria baylorensis is an extinct species of tetrapod that lived during the Permian period, approximately 280 million years ago, in what is now North America. This animal is of particular interest to paleontologists, as it represents an evolutionary link between amphibians and early reptiles, displaying characteristics of both groups.
Seymouria baylorensis had a relatively elongated and robust body, with a length of around 60 centimeters. Its skull was solid and well ossified, with a broad snout and sharp teeth, indicating that it was a carnivorous predator, probably feeding on small vertebrates and large insects. Seymouria's eyes were large and located on the top of the skull, suggesting that it may have had vision well adapted to detecting prey in its environment.
One of the most notable features of Seymouria baylorensis is its bone structure, which combines traits of both amphibians and reptiles. Its limbs were strong and robust, with a design that allowed for efficient terrestrial locomotion, a trait more common in reptiles than amphibians. However, it also retained features such as short ribs and an axial skeleton that reflect its amphibious origins.
Seymouria baylorensis inhabited semi-arid environments and probably spent most of its time on land, although it is thought that, like many amphibians, it also needed water to reproduce. This suggests that it maintained a partial dependence on water, at least during certain stages of its life cycle.
The fossils of Seymouria baylorensis were discovered in the state of Texas, in the region that gives it its name. This find has been crucial to understanding the evolutionary transition between amphibians and reptiles, providing evidence of how tetrapods began to fully adapt to terrestrial life.
Approximate measurements of the Seymouria:
Seymouria baylorensis had a relatively elongated and robust body, with a length of around 60 centimeters. Its skull was solid and well ossified, with a broad snout and sharp teeth, indicating that it was a carnivorous predator, probably feeding on small vertebrates and large insects. Seymouria's eyes were large and located on the top of the skull, suggesting that it may have had vision well adapted to detecting prey in its environment.
One of the most notable features of Seymouria baylorensis is its bone structure, which combines traits of both amphibians and reptiles. Its limbs were strong and robust, with a design that allowed for efficient terrestrial locomotion, a trait more common in reptiles than amphibians. However, it also retained features such as short ribs and an axial skeleton that reflect its amphibious origins.
Seymouria baylorensis inhabited semi-arid environments and probably spent most of its time on land, although it is thought that, like many amphibians, it also needed water to reproduce. This suggests that it maintained a partial dependence on water, at least during certain stages of its life cycle.
The fossils of Seymouria baylorensis were discovered in the state of Texas, in the region that gives it its name. This find has been crucial to understanding the evolutionary transition between amphibians and reptiles, providing evidence of how tetrapods began to fully adapt to terrestrial life.
Approximate measurements of the Seymouria:
- Complete 1:6 scale
- Length 89 mm
- Height 21 mm
- Width 32 mm
- Snout-tail length 100 mm
- Complete 1:4 scale
- Length 134 mm
- Height 32 mm
- Width 49 mm
- Snout-tail length 150 mm
