Dimetrodon

A reference overview

Dimetrodon ( or ; lit. 'two measures of teeth') is an extinct genus of sphenacodontid synapsid that lived during the Cisuralian to early Guadalupian epoch of the Permian period, around 294.1–271 million years ago. With most species measuring 1.7–4.6 m (5.6–15.1 ft) long and weighing 28–250 kg (62–551 lb), the most prominent feature of Dimetrodon is the large neural spine sail on its back formed by elongated spines extending from the vertebrae. It was an obligate quadruped (it could walk only on four legs) and had a tall, curved skull with large teeth of different sizes set along the jaws.

Overview excerpt from Wikipedia contributors · Dimetrodon, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpt may be shortened. Overview retrieved 2026-10-09.