HONG KONG: Scientists believe this is the first creature to stand on four legs.
The Bunostegos akokanensis lived more than 260 million years ago during the Permian Era but unlike other creatures at the time that crawled like lizards it was able to stand on four legs.
Dr Linda Tsuji, from the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, said: ‘Imagine a cow-sized, plant-eating reptile with a knobby skull and bony armour down its back.’
Scientists writing in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology say learning to stand on all fours may have been linked to the creature’s habitat.
Bones of several of the animals were found in Niger, which was an arid region 260 million years ago.
Walking on all fours is more energy efficient and would have been better for longer journeys between meals.
Ms Turner said: ‘There are many complexities about the evolution of posture and locomotion we are working to better understand every day.
‘The anatomy of Bunostegos is unexpected, illuminating and tells us we still have much to learn.’
