anteosaurids

Anteosaurids are an extinct family of predatory therapsids belonging to the Dinocephalia, a major group of early mammal-like reptiles that flourished during the Middle and Late Permian. The clade is named after the type genus Anteosaurus and includes several related genera. Anteosaurids were among the larger and more specialized carnivorous therapsids of their era, with some individuals among the top predators of Permian ecosystems.

Anatomy and appearance: Anteosaurids possessed robust skulls, often with tall temporal openings and large canine teeth. Their jaws could deliver powerful bites, and the skull bones in some species show ornamentation. Limbs and overall build indicate a stout, muscular animal capable of strong bursts of movement, consistent with ambush or short-range predation. They are commonly viewed as saber-toothed relatives within the broader dinocephalian radiation.

Temporal and geographic range: The group is known from the Middle to Late Permian, roughly 270–260 million years ago. Fossils have been found in southern Africa, particularly the Karoo Basin of South Africa, and in parts of Russia, reflecting a broader distribution in Permian ecosystems.

Ecology and extinction: Anteosaurids were likely apex or near-apex predators in their terrestrial ecosystems, preying on other therapsids and large vertebrates. They declined during the end-Permian mass extinction, and no descendants survived into the Triassic, contributing to the collapse of the Permian dinocephalian assemblage.