A land predator that lived during the ill-fated Permian Period functioned like a “big cat,” such as a tiger or lion, that dominated its local food chain, according to the scientists behind a new fossil find. That said, this 10-foot-long, 880-pound force probably looked nothing like a feline – it likely resembled a large amphibian.
During the Permian Period and before the emergence of the dinosaurs, such four-legged “tetrapods” ruled the land. Their preeminence ended, however, with the worst extinction event in world history, one that dwarfs even the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The “Great Dying” – brought about by changes in the climate – ended the period and destroyed 86 percent of animal species on the planet.
