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ShinRedDear β Ophiacodon mirus full sketch (updated)
#extinctanimals #ophiacodon #palaeontography #paleoart #synapsid #traditionalart #pelycosaur #amniotes #mammallikereptiles
Published: 2018-04-17 18:01:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 1910; Favourites: 62; Downloads: 2
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Description
As requested by a friend on Tumblr, here is my first serious attempt at a synapsid; Ophiacodon mirus! I put a reasonable amount of soft tissue and fat, played around with the skin textures a bit, inspired by the recent discoveries of a largely scaly varanopoid. I also added a few lively details like saliva and wounds.
EDIT: changed the scales on the head and modified the contrast
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Comments: 13
This is nice work. I like integument. Early synapsids are very interesting from this point of view. Description of Ascendonanus, of course, is very interesting, but I believe that it is desirable more material. Moreover, there is opinion that varanopids may not be synapsids. It is were supposed by russian paleontologist Mikhail Ivakhnenko, that included this family along with ophiacodonts, caseids and eothyrids in Ophiacomopha clade, that close to archosauromorphs rather to pelycosaurs!Β And if his view is correct, then the presence of scales in recently described taxon will be quite understandable. But it will bring uncertainty to the question about the covers of "true" pelycosaurs (sphenacodonts and edaphosaurs).Β
By the way, it's interesting that you added the lips. No, I'm not against it, but I have not seen skulls of Ophiacodon (as well as many other pelycosaurs), which have well-defined nutrient holes. At the same time, there are also no defined signs of thick keratin. I don't know what to do with it (since I'm now draw Ophiacodon).
And I think its legs are too long.
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Thank you for this nicely complete comment! 
Plus, I couldn't find a good photograph of an Ophiacodontid skull that wasn't crushed or altered so no good way to deduce facial coverings. As for the legs, I must admit you are right. I think the main problem is that the feet are not flat enough, giving the impression the animal floats in the void. I don't know if I have the will to correct that but maybe some other day. XD
Anyway, thank you very much for your appreciation!
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Thanks for reply! Now I decided to take the view that pelycosaurs had lips. Usually, the texture of their jaws is portrayed almost without foramen, but also without a traces of keratinous covering. However, as it turned out, the skull of the chameleons did not have a labial foramen, and they have a "lips": i.pinimg.com/736x/94/54/06/945⦠i.pinimg.com/originals/56/d4/a⦠Therefore... I also agree that all amniotes initially had some soft tissue covering the teeth, but some clades later lost them.
No problem with that, I hope my advice will help you.Β Β
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Thank you for this addendum!
Glad to know the idea of lipped pelycosaurs seems to be solid. ^^
I think we must stay vigilant over assessment based on foramen. They indeed
seem to be pretty deceiving.
I will still need to remake my Ophiacodon piece some day. But now now. XD
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Anazing! I love the texture of the scales. It's oddly reptilian but also not at the same time.
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Thank you very much!
The recent varanopoid discovery did shake up the integument discussion a bit regarding early stem-mammals.
Maybe further discoveries will disprove my reconstruction but for now, speculation is allowed. I am glad it doesn't
look too reptilian either.
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70th result on Google images, I'm glad I found it. Fantastic work.
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Thank you so much!
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waw , nice art ^^
somehow, i think ophiacodon look like fat komodo ^^
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My choice of osteoderm textured skin and skin folds does help making that impression. ^^
Thank you!
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