Inostrancevia

Inostrancevia alexandri · Inostrancevia was a large, saber-toothed carnivore that lived during the Late Permian in what is now European Russia and Southern Africa.

It lived about 256 to 251.9 million years ago.

Inostrancevia
Photo: ДиБгд, CC BY-SA 4.0
Inostrancevia
Photo: Creator: Dmitry Bogdanov, CC BY 3.0
Inostrancevia
Photo: Creator:Dmitry Bogdanov, CC BY 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassSynapsida
OrderTherapsida
FamilyGorgonopsidae
GenusInostrancevia
SpeciesInostrancevia alexandri

Where its fossils were found

European Russia (Northern Dvina River) and South Africa (Karoo Basin).

Fun facts

  • Inostrancevia is the largest known gorgonopsian, with a body up to 3.5 metres long.
  • Its biggest canine teeth could reach 15 cm long, among the largest of any non-mammal therapsid.
  • Its canine sockets could hold up to three replacement canines at different stages of growth, ready to take over.
  • Gorgonopsians were the first predators to evolve saber teeth, long before true mammals and dinosaurs appeared.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).