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Edaphosaurus pogonias
Edaphosaurs were large herbivores that had a peculiar "sail" on their back, supported by long neural spines with projecting tubercles. It is not clear what the function of this structure was, although a popular suggestion is thermoregulation. Specimen on display at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.
Lycaenops
The dentition of this Permian gorgonopsian from South Africa shows features, such as elongated canines, interpreted as indicative of a carnivorous mode of life. The skull (about 20 cm in size) is on display at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.
Lystrosaurus
This incomplete but articulated skeleton is a specimen of Lystrosaurus, an extinct terrestrial vertebrate (synapsid) the remains of which are found in several distant locations in the southern hemisphere, including Antarctica. The widespread distribution of Lystrosaurus was used by early proponents of the continental drift theory to suggest the existence of a once unified supercontinent, Pangea. Hence, its iconic status in geology and paleontology. Specimen on display at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History.
Aulacephalodon peavoti
Reconstruction of the skeleton of a dicynodont synapsid, from the Permian of South Africa, on display at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. These large animals with big barrel-shaped trunks are thought to have been herbivores.