Annatherapsidus
petri (Amalitzky, 1922) skull
Therapsida: Theriodontia:
Annatherapsididae
Locality: Sokolki, Malaya Severnaya
Dvina River, Arkhangelsk Region, northern European Russia
Age: Late Permian, 250
million years ago
Meaning of name: named after Anna Petrova Amalitzky
A
flat-headed aquatic theriodont of the genus Annatherapsidus fed on fishes
and
in its style of life was apparently similar to modern otters.
Their short, sharp,
backwards-curved fangs helped to catch slippery prey in the water.
Anecdote:
Amalitzky
named this weasily-looking creature after Anna Petrovna, his wife.
She worked
with him in the field, made a complete list of the specimens
from the Sokolki
locality, and probably endured untold hardships in the name of science.
Makes
one wonder....
