Anteosaurus 3d rigged model with textures.

Anteosaurus is an extinct genus of therapsid, belonging to the family Anteosauridae within the order Dinocephalia. These fascinating creatures lived during the Middle Permian period, approximately 266 to 252 million years ago. The genus name, “Anteosaurus,” is derived from the Greek words “anteo,” meaning adversary, and “sauros,” meaning lizard, aptly describing the predatory nature of these animals.

Anteosaurs were robustly built carnivores with a distinctively large head and powerful jaws, equipped with sharp, serrated teeth designed for tearing flesh. The skull of Anteosaurus featured prominent temporal fenestrae, openings behind the eye sockets, a characteristic common among therapsids. These adaptations suggest an efficient and specialized predatory lifestyle.