On June 18th, 1993, the Postal Authority of Transkei issued the last of three stamp sets
dedicated to fossils discovered in the country.
This set was devoted to prehistoric vertebrates.
The following text was written by
Dr Roger Smith, Department Karoo Palaeontology of South African Museum, Cape Town,
and attached to the official FDC
Fossil bones of extinct reptiles that inhabited southern Africa around
200 million years ago are found in the Karoo rocks of Transkei. This
set of stamps shows reconstructions of four of these prehistoric
vertebrates in their natural habitats, based on the available fossil
evidence.
The Karoo rocks comprise cemented sand and mud originally laid down by
large meandering rivers that flooded their banks and in the process
buried numerous skeletons of ancient reptiles that lived and died on
the flood plains, including dinosaurs. At that time, southern Africa
was part of an enormous continent called Gondwana, which later drifted
apart to form the current continents of the southern hemisphere.
Consequently, similar fossils can be found in India, Antarctica and
South America. The Karoo rocks contain the best fossil record in the
world of the gradual evolution from reptiles through the mammal-like
reptiles to the first mammals, which took place in southern Africa some
200 million years ago.
Fabrosaurus on stamp of Transkei 1993,
MiNr.: ; Scott:
DiIctodon on stamp of Transkei 1993
Fabrosaurus
The fabrosaurus was a small fleet-footed dinosaur that could rear up
and run on its hind legs when frightened.
While browsing on the lush riverside vegetation, they probably stayed close together, alert and
ready to run as soon as the alarm sounded.
Diictodon
The diictodon was a small, herbivorous, mammal-like reptile with a
tortoise-like beak and two prominent tusks, which were probably only a
sexual characteristic but may have been used to dig up roots.
Chasmatosaurus on stamp of Transkei 1993
MiNr.: ; Scott:
Rubidgea on stamp of Transkei 1993
Chasmatosaurus
This reptile looked and behaved much like the modern crocodile.
With its long, hooked snout and sharp, pointed teeth it was probably a
sit-and-wait predator that preyed on young reptiles and amphibia as
they drank at water holes.
Rubidgea
The rubidgea must have been the most fearsome pursue-and-pounce predator of its time.
Its powerful jaws had 15 cm long canines with serrated edges that were used to stab
and tear the flesh from its hapless prey.
Massospondylus was depicted on the postmark and the cachet of an official FDC.
This dinosaur became six metres long and reared up to browse on the young leaves at the top of trees,
using its front legs to steady itself.
Several complete skeletons of Massospondylus have been found in Southern Africa.
