Platyhystrix
Name: Platyhystrix
(Flat porcupine).
Phonetic: Plat-e-hiss-tricks.
Named By: Williston - 1911.
Classification: Chordata, Amphibia,
Temnospondyli, Euskelia, Dissorophoidea, Dissorophidae.
Species: P. rugosus (type).
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: 1 meter long.
Known locations: USA, Texas.
Time period: Early to middle Permian.
Fossil representation: Enough remains are known to
enable reconstruction.
Platyhystrix
stands out from the other amphibians of its group by possessing a sail
on its back similar to the pelycosaurs Dimetrodon
and Edaphosaurus.
It is uncertain why Platyhystrix developed this sail, but the genus
may have been adapting to a similar reason as the aforementioned
pelycosaurs, indeed, their fossils and those of Platyhystrix have
been discovered in Permian aged rocks from the same area of the
United States.
Maybe
the sail formed a thermoregulatory function allowing Platyhystrix to
control body temperature, cooling off during the midday heat, or
warming up early to hunt more sluggish cold blooded animals. Perhaps
the sail served a display function, perhaps even allowing it to
‘blend in’ amongst the predatory sail-backed pelycosaurs so that
they did not mistake Platyhystrix for prey. We don’t know for
certain at this stage, but it’s equally possible that the sail may
have served more than one purpose.
Platyhystrix
as an animal was a small squat quadrupedal predator that would have
hunted small animals such as reptiles, synapsids and other
amphibians. This is confirmed by the teeth, which although
numerous, are small, better for gripping small animals.
Further reading
- Skull of the Lower Permian Dissorophid amphibian Platyhystrix
rugosus. - Annals of the Carnegie Museum, v. 50, article 17. - David S.
Berman, Robert Reisz & Michael A. Fracasso - 1981.
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