The Labyrinthodont (later identified as Rhinesuchus in The Complete Guide To Prehistoric Life) was a prehistoric amphibian from what is now South Africa. It lived during the Permian. Its name means "Crocodile Nose".
Facts[]
Being a giant amphibian that lays in ambush underwater as a crocodile does, labyrinthodonts depended heavily on water as other amphibians do and could live with several others of their kind. Before their water environment dried up, these giant amphibians burrowed into the damp mud and formed a cocoon around themselves in a last ditch attempt to sit out the drought, but if they were found in their torpid state by predators, they'd be helpless.
In Walking with Monsters[]
Program 3[]
A single female Labyrinthodont appeared in the first half of the third episode. She lived towards the end of the Permian era, in a drying up waterhole. The narrator confirmed that the waterhole was once much larger and greener, supporting a wide variety of different species and several Labyrithodont's. However, by the time the episode began, this female was the sole survivor.
She was first seen attacking one of the smaller Gorgonopsid previously scared off by the large female, who was the main focus of the segment. However, the much larger reptile soon turned the tide, dragging her up onto the land, rather than her dragging it down into the water. Quickly realizing that she had bitten off more than she could chew, the amphibian released her quarry and ran to the water, before the carnivores could contemplate making a meal out of her. As the narrator pointed out, the attack was probably made due to a combination of both hunger and desperation.
As the dry season turned into a drought, the female Labyrinthodont, basked in the shallow end of the waterhole. Her situation was now critical. Without the life-giving rain usually brought on by the wet season, the waterhole that she depended on continued to shrink, due to both the heat and local residents drinking it up. This put the female's life in very real danger. Unlike her reptilian neighbors, she could not leave the water for extended periods, otherwise she dry out in the desert heat. Having not eaten for some time now, she was also severely weakened. If any of the local predators got a hold of her, she would stand no chance. This was exemplified, by the female Gorgonopsid, watching her hungrily from the shore line. Seeing this, the stranded amphibian once again retreated to the deeper section of her dying home.
The Labyrinthodont's fate was finally sealed when a herd of Scutosaurus arrived. Helping themselves to both the surrounding vegetation and the watering hole itself, the giant reptiles proceeded to strip the land of both its greenery and more importantly the remaining water. Once this was done, the herd moved on, but the damage had already been done and the local residents were all left in big trouble.
With no choice, the giant amphibian made one final attempt to save herself. Burrowing underground into the damper mud, she formed a protective cocoon around herself and entered a torpid state, slowing her bodily functions to the bare minimum. Her hope was that the drought would soon end and that she would be able to emerge safely once rain finally came. Unfortunately for the female, this would never happen. Not long after the Scutosaurus departed, the hungry Gorgonopsid discovered her cocoon, unearthed it and ate her.
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