Inostrancevia

***Inostrancevia*** (name meaning "*After Inostrantsev*") is a genus of therapsids that originated during the Late Permian Era in what is now Asia and Africa. Measuring 5 meters long and weighing 700 kg, this predatory mammal-like reptile was known for being a deadly and effective hunter, having possessed the world's first true saber-teeth, which it used to deadly effect on its prey, which included anything from giant Labyrinthodont Amphibians up to the size of Scutosaur Pareiasaurs.

In the Series 1 episode "***Desert Monsters***" a large female *Inostrancevia* was brought to the park from Late Permian Siberia, 250 million years ago. However a large male named Gorgon followed the team through the portal after he picked up the female's scent. After creating some mayhem across the park, Gorgon was eventually captured and put into the Gorgonopsid Canyon Enclosure with the female.

## Facts

### Era & Discovery

*Inostrancevia* lived in Asia and Africa during the Late Permian era from 260 to 250 million years ago. The apex predator of its time, it shared its environment with animals such as *Scutosaurus*, *Diictodon*, and *Rhinesuchus*. Until the evolution of the dinosaurs, nothing had rivaled *Inostrancevia*.

Although officially named and published in 1922, early fossils of *Inostrancevia* were unearthed in European Russia during the 1890's by Russian paleontologist Vladimir Amalitsky. Following WWI and prior to his death in 1917, Amalitsky had decided to name *Inostrancevia* in honor of renowned geologist Alexander Inostrantsev, Amalitsky's teacher.

### Physical Attributes

*Inostrancevia* possessed a wide range of sizes. Tall enough to look a person in the eye, at minimum, it was the size of a tiger, up to 3.2 - 4.3 meters (10.49 - 14.10 feet) long and around 500 kg (1,102.31 lb). At maximum, it was the size of a white rhinoceros, measuring 5.3 meters (17.38 ft) in length and weighing 700 kg (1,543.24 lb). *Inostrancevia* had a large, compact, four-legged body with a large head and snout, and it possessed mammalian specialisations; including differentiated (heterodont) tooth shape, a fully developed temporal fenestra, pillar-like rear legs, and ear bones.

Though not a direct ancestor, *Inostrancevia* was already broadly similar to modern mammals, at least on the outside. It had several types of teeth in its jaws and its legs were located directly beneath its body, rather than in a sprawling posture (unlike *Dimetrodon*). It didn't have a sail and possibly could have regulated its body temperature internally. It did't possess fur, but it still laid eggs.

One of the most characteristic traits of *Inostrancevia* and other gorgonopsids were its sabre teeth - the first sabre teeth on the planet. Unlike the jaws of the later sabretooths, such as *Smilodon*, the jaws of *Inostrancevia* were relatively long, but they had only two types of teeth - the killing sabre-like canines and the shorter incisors. Together, these teeth and jaws made effective killing weapons, but were useless at chewing meat, and *Inostrancevia* probably fed in a manner similar to modern crocodilians or monitor lizards - ripping away chunks of flesh and swallowing them whole. This method of eating was rather inefficient and may have been one of the reasons as why the gorgonopsians have died out.

A lethal marriage between speed and power, *Inostrancevia* was strong enough to hurl cars several feet into or through the air and break down doors with little effort, though it required to build up momentum in order to do so most effectively, as well as durable enough to survive being rammed head-on by a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, though leaving it stunned for a few seconds. Its tough, leathery hide enabled it to endure several rounds of gunfire and even the vicious claws of most other animals.

### Behavior & Traits

Though mammalian in appearance, *Inostrancevia* didn't have a social life as modern mammals do. Still, it could tolerate other members of its kind, just like the modern crocodiles, and the members of this species would gather in groups at watering holes and similar places, at least for a time. Despite its size, *Inostrancevia* was an ambush predator, lurking behind natural cover, before ambushing its prey (such as *Scutosaurus*). It would chase and catch up to them, before inflicting wounds with its' sabre-like teeth, causing the herbivores to die from blood loss and pain shock - and then it would eat.

*Inostrancevia* was a patient and implacable hunter, able to gallop at a top speed of 50 km/h (30 mph) and had a strong sense of smell. Once it smelled blood from its prey, it would relentlessly track and pursue its prey at all costs. After hunting down and killing its prey, *Inostrancevia* sometimes stored it in trees to eat later, in a manner which mirrored behavior displayed by modern-day leopards.

## Trivia

* *Inostrancevia* is the largest Permian predators brought to the park.