That Daffy Edaphosaurus

Warmly called "Daffy" by many who study this species, Edaphosaurus looks like a Dimetrodon with a weight problem - which seems unfair, since this species was a vegan. The original vegan, in fact - along with Diadectes, Daffys were the first species to eat plants on land, striking fear in the hearts of conifers everywhere.

Field sketch of Edaphosaurus. (c) Robert T. Bakker

Daffys had a tiny head on a huge body, with legs that are also much shorter than its cousin, the Permian king of the food chain.

That massive body needed a lot of water, and the team has found bits and pieces - such as big vertebra and leg fossils - of this species near the lakebeds on their site. Surprisingly, they've also found a site that may have a nearly complete Daffy - in a dry bed. (The redder the sediment, the drier the local climate; also, amphibian species can't live without constant access to water, so their presence indicates water in the environment.)

What was our Daffy doing so far from water? This week, the team will continue digging this dry site and looking for more clues.