An international team of paleontologists, led by the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP-CERCA) and the Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals (MUCBO | MBCN), has made a discovery that rewrites part of evolutionary history: the fossil remains of the oldest known gorgonopsian. This animal, which lived between 270 and 280 million years ago, represents an extraordinary find not only because of its age but also due to the location of the fossils, found in the Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca, Spain. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, provides new insights into the evolution of synapsids, a group that gave rise to the first mammals.
Gorgonopsians were an extinct group of synapsids that lived during the Permian period, between 270 and 250 million years ago. Unlike reptiles, these animals are part of the evolutionary lineage that, 50 million years later, led to mammals. Gorgonopsians exhibited fascinating traits: they were warm-blooded, laid eggs, and developed the iconic saber teeth. Their morphology was peculiar, resembling a hairless dog without ears, with a more upright posture than reptiles, allowing them to move more efficiently.
This Mallorcan gorgonopsian, approximately one meter in length, was a medium-sized carnivore that likely played the role of a top predator in its ecosystem. The fossil remains found include fragments of the skull, vertebrae, ribs, and a femur in excellent condition, enabling researchers to study details about its locomotion and diet.

The geographical location of the fossil is as surprising as its age. Until now, gorgonopsians had been primarily identified in regions such as Russia and South Africa, which during the Permian were situated at higher latitudes. However, 270 million years ago, Mallorca was not an island; it was part of the supercontinent Pangaea, located near the equator, with a monsoonal climate alternating between wet and dry seasons.
The Banyalbufar site, where the discovery was made, was likely a floodplain with temporary ponds, an environment conducive to Permian fauna. In this region, gorgonopsians coexisted with other animals, such as the moradisaurid captorhinids, small herbivorous reptiles that may have been part of the predator’s diet.
Among the fossils found, a nearly complete leg stands out, allowing scientists to analyze how this gorgonopsian moved. Its intermediate posture, with legs more vertical than those of reptiles, suggests a more efficient mode of locomotion, especially for running. This detail reveals an evolutionary step toward the traits that would later define mammals.

Additionally, the saber teeth found corroborate its carnivorous nature. According to Àngel Galobart, a researcher at ICP-CERCA, these teeth were key tools for its role as a predator. This feature, common among large hunters from different eras, reaffirms its dominant position in the Permian ecosystem.
The discovery of the Mallorcan gorgonopsian is not the only notable fossil find in the Balearic Islands. Although most of the region’s fossil records date from the Pleistocene and Holocene, there are exceptional remains from other periods. From the world’s oldest mosquito to ammonoids, giant sharks, and ancient relatives of horses and hippos, the Balearic Islands have proven to be a paleontological treasure.
This study, supported by the project “Mallorca abans dels dinosaures”, involved collaboration with international institutions and backing from the Consell Insular de Mallorca and the Generalitat de Catalunya. The research team hopes this discovery will inspire future excavations and studies in the region, contributing to unraveling the mysteries of prehistoric ecosystems.
SOURCES
Institut Català de Palentología Miquel Cusafont
Matamales-Andreu, R., Kammerer, C.F., Angielczyk, K.D. et al. Early–middle Permian Mediterranean gorgonopsian suggests an equatorial origin of therapsids. Nat Commun 15, 10346 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54425-5
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