Edaphosauridae

Edaphosauridae is a family of mostly large (up to 3 m (9.8 ft) or more) Late Carboniferous to Early Permiansynapsids. Edaphosaur fossils are so far known only from North America and Europe. Edaphosaurids transitioned from being small carnivores in their most primitive members into some of the earliest large terrestrial herbivores. They are noted for their neural spine sails on their backs, which unlike those of Dimetrodon exhibit distinctive outwards facing growths.