dimetrodon

Everyday

A large animal with a tall sail on its back that lived about 295 to 272 million years ago, before the dinosaurs. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, dimetrodon is often sold in dinosaur toy sets, but it was not a dinosaur; it was a synapsid, more closely related to mammals than to dinosaurs. Its sail may have helped it warm up or show off.

Examples

• Dimetrodon had a big sail on its back. tree →
• Dimetrodon lived before the dinosaurs. tree →
• It was not a dinosaur, though it is often called one. tree →
• Dimetrodon was a meat eater. tree →
• The sail may have helped dimetrodon stay warm. tree →
• We saw a dimetrodon fossil in the museum. tree →

Note

Myth trap: dimetrodon is not a dinosaur. Say «dy-MET-ro-don». Scientific name with a capital D.