Eothyris

Name: Eothyris.
Phonetic: E-oh-fy-riss.
Named By: A.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Romer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1937.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Synapsida,‭ ‬Pelycosauria,‭ ‬Caseasauria,‭ ‬Eothyrididae.
Species: E.‭ ‬parkeyi‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Insectivore.
Size: Skull‭ ‬5.7‭ ‬centimetres long,‭ ‬total body length estimated about‭ ‬30‭ ‬centimetres long.
Known locations: USA,‭ ‬Texas‭ ‬-‭ ‬Belle Plains Formation.
Time period: Artinskian of the Permian.
Fossil representation: Skull.

       Eothyris is currently only known from a skull,‭ ‬but from this a little can be inferred about the lifestyle of this genus.‭ ‬The mouth was filled with sharp and pointed teeth,‭ ‬with a pair of enlarged fangs that were near the front of the upper jaw.‭ ‬These were likely used to snare and trap prey such as larger insects which would have been easily impaled upon such teeth.‭ ‬Eothyris has been considered to be a relative Oedaleops,‭ ‬which is why the two genera are often included‭ ‬together‭ ‬within the Eothyrididae.

Further reading
-‭ ‬New genera and species of pelycosaurian reptiles.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Proceedings of the New England Zo�logical Club‭ ‬16:89-95.‭ ‬-‭ ‬A.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Romer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1937.
-‭ ‬Eothyris and Oedaleops:‭ ‬Do these Early Permian synapsids from Texas and New Mexico form a clade‭? ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology‭ ‬29:‭ ‬39.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Reisz,‭ ‬S.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Godfrey‭ & ‬D.‭ ‬Scott‭ ‬-‭ ‬2009.

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