Kingdom Animalia Clade †Caseasauria Scientific name Casea Rank Genus | Phylum Chordata Family †Caseidae Higher classification Caseidae | |
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Similar Caseasauria, Cotylorhynchus, Eothyris, Synapsid, Ennatosaurus | ||
Casea is an extinct genus of pelycosaur synapsid which was about 1.2 metres (4 ft) long, slightly smaller than the otherwise very similar Caseoides. Casea was one of the first amniote herbivores, sharing its world with animals such as Dimetrodon and Eryops. It was possibly also aquatic.
Description
Casea had a heavy, rotund, body and a small skull. Its rib cage was greatly expanded, presumably to make space for a large, plant-fermening gut as well as proportionally large lungs. Like other caseids, it lacked teeth in its lower jaw, and had blunt teeth in the upper jaw. These adaptations indicate that Casea was a herbivore, feeding on relatively tough plants, such as ferns. Like most derived caseids it had paddle-like limbs and osteoporotic bones, indicating adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle.