Edaphosaurus

The first herbivorous reptile

At first glance, Edaphosaurus looks confusingly similar to its carnivorous relative Dimetrodon. But Edaphosaurus was the first large herbivorous reptile.

Until then, all land-dwelling reptiles and amphibians had been carnivores or insectivores, for one simple reason: Meat is high in protein and fat and is easier to digest than plants.

Plants, on the other hand, are difficult to digest, poor in nutrients and must therefore be consumed in huge quantities to obtain enough energy.

For this reason, Edaphosaurus evolved novel, peg-shaped teeth with which it could easily tear off plants. Flat teeth further back in the throat were used to grind food.

These different types of teeth, in combination with a more flexible jaw, which animals first developed about 290 million years ago in the Permian period, were to be a decisive evolutionary advantage for many mammals millions of years later. This was the case for humans, too. Because like Edaphosaurus, we also have incisors, canines, and molars.