Diplocaulus salamandroides

With a head shaped like a stealth bomber and a body like a salamander, Diplocaulus was an unusual creature that roamed ancient waterways even before dinosaurs appeared. The triangular-shaped skull helped this creature race through the water at top speed. An amphibian, this ancestor of modern salamanders could also slog through muddy swamps with its short legs.

Bit Of A Stretch:
Diplocaulus' most unusual feature is its boomerang-shaped head. Measuring up to 16 inches in width, this would have made the creature hard for many predators to swallow.

Mouth First:
In the front of this creature's head was a thin mouth. It was small, but lined with several rows of sharp teeth that made it easy for Diplocaulus to tear pieces of flesh from its prey.

Creature Features

 * Genus/Species: Diplocaulus/various
 * Size: Length up to 4.3 ft.;
 * Weight up to 33 lbs. Body Parts: Wide, triangular head, flat body, webbed feet
 * Prey: Fish and insects
 * Where? Fossils have been found in Texas and Oklahoma
 * Sound Off: DIP-low-CALL-us

Made for Speed
Many Diplocaulus fossils have been found so far, indicating that the species once existed in great numbers.

Diplocaulus' triangular head was more than an obstacle to predators-it helped the creature hunt effectively. Diplocaulus could tilt its wide skull upward while swimming agains the current; this would lift the creature like an airplane and help it accelerate as it closed in on prey at the surface. Doing this at high speed may have sent Diplocaulus clear out of the water.

Eyes Up:
This amphibian probably spent most of its time at the bottom of a lake or river. Large eyes set close together at the top of Diplocaulus' skull kept watch for prey near the surface.

Slow Crawl:
Diplocaulus' short, stubby legs didn't work well on land, but were enough to help the creature crawl slowly throughthe mud. Webbed feet made this early amphibian better suited for aquatic life.

Time Line:
Diplocaulus lived 270-250 million years ago, during the Permian Period.