Therocephalians were ancient synapsids that lived during the Permian and the Triassic epochs and which were related both to gorgonopsids and cynodonts. They were featured in the last episode of Walking with Monsters where they hunted lystrosaurs. It later evolved into a Cynodont in the Mid-Triassic.
Facts
Vicious nocturnal hunters, these predators didn't rely on power to make a kill. Their attacks were swift and at first appeared unsuccessful, but these predators had a secret weapon: a venomous bite, with venom being more lethal and more powerful than a black mamba's, which could flood their prey's blood stream.
A Therocephilian being viewed on a hill with night vision. (Clash of Titans)
In the show, they were featured possessing venomous bites, supposedly more powerful than the modern venomous snakes, such as the black mamba. Still, only one species of therocephalian has been deduced to be venomous, i.e. Euchambersia, which would probably mean that the one appearing in Walking with Monsters was one. However, the presence of the venom in those mammal-like reptiles is speculation, as that cannot be proven via fossilized bones, unless we find a space where venom glands could be held.
Euchamersia was 1 meter long (3 ft) and 20 kg (44 lbs).
In Walking with... Series
A Therocephilian jumping. (Clash of Titans)
Walking with Monsters
Clash of Titans
The therocephalians were briefly featured in the last episode of WWM as nocturnal hunters. On one hand, they were ambushers that used sudden attacks to overwhelm their prey. On the other, they lived in family groups and fed together after the prey animal was down.
Appearances In Other Media
Primeval
See more at the Anomaly Research Center
A pack of therocephalians appeared during S4 of Primeval in a high school via a time anomaly. Eventually, they were all driven back through it by the ARC field team.
Trivia
- The model of the cynodont from New Blood was used for the therocephalian.
A Therocephalian looking at Lystrosaurus. (Clash of Titans)
