With a head shaped like a stealth bomber and a body like a salamander, diplocaulus was an unusual creature that roamed ancient waterways even before dinosaurs appeared. The triangular-shaped skull helped this creature race through the water at top speed. An amphibian, this ancestor of modern salamanders could also slog through muddy swamps with its short legs.
Bit of a Stretch: Diplocaulus' most unusual feature is its boomerang-shaped head. Measuring up to 16 inches in width, this would have made the creature hard for many predators to swallow.
Mouth First: In the front of this creature's head was a thin mouth. It was small, but lined with several rows of sharp teeth that made it easy for diplocaulus to tear pieces of flesh from its prey.
Made for Speed[]
Many diplocaulus fossils have been found so far, indicating that the species once existed in great numbers.
Diplocaulus' triangular head was more than an obstacle to predators-it helped the creature hunt effectively. Diplocaulus could tilt its wide skull upward while swimming against the current; this would lift the creature like an airplane and help it accelerate as it closed in on prey at the surface. Doing this at high speed may have sent diplocaulus clear out of the water.
Eyes Up: This amphibian probably spent most of its time at the bottom of a lake or river. Large eyes set close together at the top of diplocaulus' skull kept watch for prey near the surface.
Slow Crawl: Diplocaulus' short, stubby legs didn't work well on land, but were enough to help the creature crawl slowly through mud. Webbed feet made this early amphibian better suited for aquatic life.
Timeline[]
Diplocaulus lived 270-250 million years ago, during the Permian Period.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The diplocaulus is the first amphibian featured in Monsters of the Past; it is also one of the only two featured, along with the Ichthyostega.
- The diplocaulus is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- The diplocaulus is featured in Know Your Noses on Monster Mania 16.
- It is then featured in Fossil Finders on Monster Mania 26.
- The fossil used for the game is the same one pictured on the back of the knowledge card.
- It is later featured in Timeline Tracker on Monster Mania 37.
- It is then used as part of one of the fake creatures in Find The Fakes on Monster Mania 44.