Gorgonopsial Skull Plaque

Permian. Gorgonopsial Skull Plaque. Viatkagorgon ivakhnenkol. From Russia.

* Size: 8.2 inch x 5.4 inch x 2.8 inch(21cm x 14cm x 7cm)
* Material: Museum quality fossil replicas are cast in durable Polyurethane resins.
* Made in USA

Gorgonopsia is an extinct suborder of therapsid synapsids. Like other therapsids, gorgonopsians were at one time called "mammal-like reptiles," as well as "stem mammals".

Their mammalian specializations include differentiated (heterodont) tooth shape, a fully developed temporal fenestra, pillar-like rear legs, a vaulted palate that may have facilitated breathing while holding the prey, and incipiently developed ear bones. Gorgonopsians are a part of a group of therapsids called theriodonts, which includes mammals. They were among the largest carnivores of the late Permian. The largest known, Inostrancevia, was the size of a large bear with a 45 cm long skull, and 12 cm long saber-like teeth (clearly an adaptation to being a carnivore). They likely did not have a full pelage but whether they had bristles, scales or naked skin is unknown. They may have had a combination of all of them, as some mammals still do.

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