Dimetrodon

Dimetrodon (ⁱ/daɪˈmiːtrədɒn/; meaning "two measures of teeth") is an extinct genus of synapsid that lived during the Early Permian period, around 295–272 million years ago (Ma). It is a member of the family Sphenacodontidae. The most prominent feature of Dimetrodon is the large sail on its back formed by elongated spines extending from the vertebrae. It walked on four legs and had a tall, curved skull with large teeth of different sizes set along the jaws. Most fossils have been found in the southwestern United States, the majority coming from a geological deposit called the Red Beds in Texas and Oklahoma. More recently, fossils have been found in Germany. Over a dozen species have been named since the genus was first described in 1878.

Dimetrodon is often mistaken for a dinosaur or as a contemporary of dinosaurs in popular culture, but it went extinct some 40 million years before the first appearance of dinosaurs. Reptile-like in appearance and physiology, Dimetrodon is nevertheless more closely related to mammals than to modern reptiles, though it is not a direct ancestor or descendant of mammals.

Dinosaur (Dungeons & Dragons)

In numerous campaign settings of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game, dinosaurs, based upon the actual-life extinct reptiles of prehistoric ages, are present. Some of the dinosaurs used in D&D, such as Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, and Ankylosaurus, are real ones which used to exist on earth. Others, such as the Bloodstriker, Fleshraker and Swindlespitter from the Monster Manual III, though labeled as dinosaurs, are made up, and as such are likely better regarded as monsters. Most D&D settings have a location where dinosaurs are known to dwell, and seeing as they coexist with intelligent races, they are sometimes depicted as tamed, with armored T. rexes being used in battle and Velociraptors used as mounts.

Publication history

Dinosaurs have existed in each edition of the Monster Manual, and have played a significant role in D&D since nearly the very beginning. In 1981, dinosaurs were a major antagonist in the module The Isle of Dread (which was exceptionally widely distributed as it was included with the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set). Also in The Bane of Llywelyn, an early first edition D&D's module featured amazons on Pterosaur-like dinosaurs.

Dimetrodon (album)

Dimetrodon is the third album from the nerd-folk duo The Doubleclicks, released on June 10, 2014. The album was funded via Kickstarter with a goal of $18,000. The campaign exceeded this and raised $80,923, on February 18, 2014, making it the most successful Portland music Kickstarter to date.

Production

The Doubleclicks sought funding for the album via the crowd-funding site Kickstarter, asking for$18,000. The Kickstarter campaign ended with $80,923 from 1,923 backers; 449% of the sum requested. This was the most successful Portland music Kickstarter campaign to date and also "legitimized [them] as a true representative of nerds everywhere."

Track listing

References