Anteosaurus

Anteosaurus (meaning 'previous reptile') was not a dinosaur, but a synapsid, on of our own early ancestors! How early? About 260 million years ago! This weird thing grew up to 5 m in length with an 80 cm skull. It was probably a meat eater. Its fossils have been found here in South Africa. Other related species lived here as well; they all had big skulls with thickened bones and are called Dinocephalians or 'terrible heads'. My own restoration in watercolour.