Natural environment and thermal behaviour of Dimetrodon limbatus

GA Florides; SA Kalogirou; SA Tassou; L Wrobel

doi:10.1016/s0306-4565(00)00019-x

Natural environment and thermal behaviour of Dimetrodon limbatus

J Therm Biol. 2001 Feb 1;26(1):15-20. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4565(00)00019-x.

Authors

GA Florides¹, SA Kalogirou, SA Tassou, L Wrobel

Affiliation

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, Higher Technical Institute, P.O. Box 20423, 2152, Nicosia, Cyprus

PMID: 11070340
DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4565(00)00019-x

Abstract

This paper examines the body temperature variation of Dimetrodon during the different seasons of the year. The effect of the sail of Dimetrodon on its body temperature is also evaluated. It is shown that the sail of pelycosaurs provided an advantage to the reptile by warming it up quicker in the morning in cold environments. This would be a benefit, allowing Dimetrodon to prey on large reptiles, above 55kg, in the early morning while they were sluggish. From the results presented a climate similar to that of March for Cyprus could be representative of that of Permian period.