Dimetrodon

MEANING: Two measures of teeth

PERIOD: Early Permian

CONTINENT: North America

Dimetrodon is a basal synapsid and represented the apex predator niche of its Permian ecosystem. It was notable for the large sail on its back, which may have been used for thermoregulation or courtship display. Dimetrodon was a quadrupedal carnivore with varying lengths of teeth, owing to its name, and reached 2-4 m in total body length.