Dimetrodon "Willy" - scientists unearthed a pre-dinosaur predator's skull

Paleontologists from the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) have just announced that they've unearthed a rare skull -- complete with fangs - for a pre-Dinosaur Era predator that lived 287 million years ago.

Nicknamed "Wet Willi," the skull and fossils belong to Dimetrodon giganhomogenes. This reptile, with its iconic sail-shaped back, is often mistakenly identified as a dinosaur, and is even included in packages of toy dinosaurs.

Such reptiles, in fact, lived several million years before the first dinos emerged.

Robert Bakker, curator of paleontology at the HMNS, and his team found the new specimen at Craddock Brothers Ranch in Seymour, Texas. "Wet Willi" came to mind as a nickname because the fossils were discovered during the excavation of a drainage trench and because a dino expert named Samuel Williston conducted work in the area 100 years ago. Well-preserved fossils like this of Dimetrodon are rare, according to the researchers.

In life, "Willi" was the dominant predator of his world. He would have been 11 feet long with a four-foot vertical fin running the length of his body. The purpose of the prominent fin that defines this species has been debated since it was first discovered by paleontologist Edward Cope in Texas in 1878.

It was originally suggested that the fin was used for thermoregulation -- self-regulation of body temperature -- even when outside temperatures may vary drastically. It now, however, seems more likely that this dramatic fin was for show, to intimidate enemies and woo potential mates.

"Wet Willi" will be the star of the Permian section of the HMNS' newly renovated paleontology hall, opening in 2012.

"There is a very strong Texas connection to Dimetrodon, and we are thrilled to be able to display one in Houston, along with the other animals that made up this ancient ecosystem," said Bakker, adding that the specimen is "jaw-droppingly beautiful."

Area ranchers agree. "The only thing prettier is a new born calf," local cattleman Donald Coltharp remarked.

Video, additional images and information about the newly unearthed Dimetrodon are at the HMNS blog "Beyond Bones."


/Discovery News/