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Cistecephalidae
Cistecephalidae is an extinct family (biology), family of dicynodont therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa, India and Zambia. It includes the genera ''Cistecephalus'', ''Cistecephaloides'', and ''Kawingasaurus''. Cistecephalids are thought to have had a fossorial or burrowing lifestyle, with adaptations such as broad skulls, strong forelimbs, and squat bodies. A similar group of dicynodonts called the pylaecephalids were also fossorial, although to a lesser extent than cistecephalids. Cistecephalids showed a high level of endemism, with each of the five known species unique to a single region. Description Cistecephalids were small dicynodonts. Most species, with the exception of ''Kembawacela'', lacked tusks, but sexually dimorphic supraorbital ridges were present. Cistecephalids had boxy, broad skulls with relatively laterally directed temporal openings, a result of a considerably broadened intertemporal region. ''Sauroscaptor'', the most basal genus of the family, h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dicynodont
Dicynodontia is an extinct clade of anomodonts, an extinct type of non-mammalian therapsid. Dicynodonts were herbivorous animals with a pair of tusks, hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth'. Members of the group possessed a horny, typically toothless beak, unique amongst all synapsids. Dicynodonts first appeared in Southern Pangaea during the mid-Permian, ca. 270–260 million years ago, and became globally distributed and the dominant herbivorous animals in the Late Permian, ca. 260–252 Mya. They were devastated by the end-Permian Extinction that wiped out most other therapsids ca. 252 Mya. They rebounded during the Triassic but died out towards the end of that period. They were the most successful and diverse of the non-mammalian therapsids, with over 70 genera known, varying from rat-sized burrowers to elephant-sized browsers. Characteristics The dicynodont skull is highly specialised, light but strong, with the synapsid temporal openings at the rear of the skull ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dicynodonts
Dicynodontia is an extinct clade of anomodonts, an extinct type of non-mammalian therapsid. Dicynodonts were Herbivore, herbivorous animals with a pair of tusks, hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth'. Members of the group possessed a horny, typically toothless beak, unique amongst all synapsids. Dicynodonts first appeared in Southern Pangaea during the Guadalupian, mid-Permian, ca. 270–260 million years ago, and became globally distributed and the dominant herbivorous animals in the Permian, Late Permian, ca. 260–252 Mya. They were devastated by the Permian–Triassic extinction event, end-Permian Extinction that wiped out most other therapsids ca. 252 Mya. They rebounded during the Triassic but died out towards the end of that period. They were the most successful and diverse of the non-mammalian therapsids, with over 70 genus, genera known, varying from rat-sized Fossorial, burrowers to elephant-sized Browsing (herbivory), browsers. Characteristics The dicynodont s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauroscaptor
''Sauroscaptor'' is a genus of cistecephalid dicynodont from the upper Permian of India, containing one species, ''S. tharavati''. It is remarkable for the extreme placement of its pineal foramen, which bulges out of the posterior margin of its skull. Etymology ''Sauroscaptor'' means "lizard mole" or "lizard digger", and is derived from the Greek word σαῦρος, meaning "lizard", and the Greek word σκάπτω, meaning "digger", which is used as a suffix in the Indian mole genera ''Euroscaptor'' and '' Parascaptor''. The type species, ''S. tharavati'', honors Tharavat S. Kutty, discoverer of the Kundaram Formation fauna that includes ''Sauroscaptor''. History The fossils of ''Sauroscaptor'' show various forms of compression, and were originally interpreted as pertaining to several different genera of dicynodont. However, the shared presence of several unique traits not affected by compression proved that the fossils all belonged to a single endemic species. Description ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kembawacela
''Kembawacela'' ("iron digger") is an extinct genus of cistecephalid dicynodont from the Late Permian of East Africa. The genus contains two known species, the type species ''Kembawacela kitchingi'' from the Madumabisa Mudstone Formation of Zambia described in 2019, and a second species, ''K. yajuwayeyi'', from the Chiweta Beds of Malawi described in 2022. Like other cistecephalids, ''Kembawacela'' was specialised for a fossorial, burrowing lifestyle similar to modern day moles. It is unique amongst cistecephalids for the presence of a pair of tusks in the upper jaw, characteristic of many other dicynodonts but lost in other cistecephalids. It is likely that ''Kembawacela'' was a locally endemic species of cistecephalid in the Luangwa Basin of Zambia. Description ''Kembawacela'' broadly resembled other cistecephalids in size and shape. It was a small dicynodont (skull length roughly long along the base) and had a highly specialised body plan for digging. ''Kembawacela'' is k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cistecephalus Microrhinus
''Cistecephalus'' is an extinct genus of dicynodont therapsid from the Late Permian of southern Africa (South Africa and Zambia). It was a small, specialised, burrowing dicynodont, possibly with habits similar to a modern mole. The head was flattened and wedge-shaped, the body long, and the forelimbs very strong, with similarities in structure to the forelimb of modern burrowing mammals. It was one of the first genera of dicynodonts to be described, by Richard Owen, in 1876. ''Cistecephalus'' could reach up to in length. Description ''Cistecephalus'' was one of the most atypical dicynodont genera. However, it was broadly similar in anatomy to other cistecephalids, all of which share similar adaptations to digging. Its skull was broad, with laterally-directed temporal openings and a sharply tapering snout, similar to extant fossorial animals. However, it has relatively large, anteriorly-directed orbits, suggesting binocular vision. It had a short neck and laterally-directed sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cistecephalus
''Cistecephalus'' is an extinct genus of dicynodont therapsid from the Late Permian of southern Africa (South Africa and Zambia). It was a small, specialised, burrowing dicynodont, possibly with habits similar to a modern mole. The head was flattened and wedge-shaped, the body long, and the forelimbs very strong, with similarities in structure to the forelimb of modern burrowing mammals. It was one of the first genera of dicynodonts to be described, by Richard Owen, in 1876. ''Cistecephalus'' could reach up to in length. Description ''Cistecephalus'' was one of the most atypical dicynodont genera. However, it was broadly similar in anatomy to other cistecephalids, all of which share similar adaptations to digging. Its skull was broad, with laterally-directed temporal openings and a sharply tapering snout, similar to extant fossorial animals. However, it has relatively large, anteriorly-directed orbits, suggesting binocular vision. It had a short neck and laterally-directed sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dicynodontoides
''Dicynodontoides'' is a genus of small to medium-bodied, herbivorous, emydopoid dicynodonts from the Late Permian. The name ''Dicynodontoides'' references its “dicynodont-like” appearance (dicynodont = two-dog-tooth) due to the caniniform tusks featured by most members of this infraorder. ''Kingoria'', a junior synonym, has been used more widely in the literature than the more obscure ''Dicynodontoides'', which is similar-sounding to another distantly related genus of dicynodont, ''Dicynodon''. Two species are recognized: ''D. recurvidens'' from South Africa, and ''D. nowacki'' from Tanzania.Angielczyk K.D., Sidor C.A., Nesbitt S.J., Smith R.M.H & Tsuji L.A. 2009. Taxonomic revision and new observations on the postcranial skeleton, biogeography, and biostratigraphy of the dicynodont genus Dicynodontoides, the senior subjective synonym of Kingoria (Therapsida, Anomodontia), ''Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology'', 29:4, 1174-1187, DOI: 10.1671/039.029.0427 ''Dicynodontoides'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emydopoidea
Emydopoidea is a group of Late Permian dicynodont therapsids. It includes the small-bodied ''Emydops'', ''Myosaurus'', and kingoriids, and the burrowing cistecephalids. Below is a cladogram from Kammerer ''et al.'' (2011) showing the phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ... relationships of emydopoids: References Dicynodonts Lopingian first appearances Middle Triassic extinctions {{anomodont-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kawingasaurus
''Kawingasaurus'' is an extinct genus of dicynodont therapsid from the Late Permian Usili Formation of Tanzania. It is a member of the family Cistecephalidae Cistecephalidae is an extinct family (biology), family of dicynodont therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa, India and Zambia. It includes the genera ''Cistecephalus'', ''Cistecephaloides'', and ''Kawingasaurus''. Cistecephalids are tho ..., and like other cistecephalids it is thought to have been fossorial. References External links The main groups of non-mammalian synapsids at Mikko's Phylogeny Archive Dicynodonts Lopingian synapsids of Africa Permian Tanzania Fossils of Tanzania Lopingian genus first appearances Lopingian genus extinctions Fossil taxa described in 1972 Anomodont genera {{anomodont-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bidentalia
Bidentalia is a group of dicynodont therapsids. Bidentalia was one of the first names used to describe dicynodonts; the group was established in 1876, while the name "bidentals" dates back as far as 1845. With the increasing prominence of phylogenetics, the group was redefined as a clade in 2009. Bidentalia is now considered a stem-based taxon that includes all taxa more closely related to '' Aulacephalodon bainii'' and ''Dicynodon lacerticeps'' than '' Emydops arctatus''. History In 1845, South African geologist Andrew Geddes Bain described the first known dicynodonts as "bidentals" for their two prominent tusks. "Bidental" was the first name ever used for a group of non-mammalian synapsids. The name Dicynodontia, which is more commonly used to refer to these animals, was erected by English paleontologist Richard Owen in 1860. Realizing that Bain's "bidentals" predated his "dicynodonts", Owen named Bidentalia in 1876 as a replacement name for Dicynodontia. Owen described Bident ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eosimops
''Eosimops'' is an extinct genus of pylaecephalid dicynodonts. They were small synapsids superficially resembling modern mammals. ''Eosimops'' is known from several skull specimens, as well as one complete skeleton. ''Eosimops'' lived during the Middle Permian of South Africa. Etymology ''Eosimops'' was named in by South African paleontologist Robert Broom. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek ''Ēṓs'' (“dawn”) and ''ópsis'' (“appearance”). Discovery ''Eosimops'' was discovered in 1921 by Robert Broom, based on a single skull. It was found in the ''Tapinocephalus'' Assemblage Zone strata of South Africa, an area which provides a rich variety of early therapsids and covers a period of almost 100 million years ranging from the Permian to the Jurassic. Later, other skull specimens as well as a complete skeleton were found. ''Eosimops'' is found above the stratigraphic range of the early dicynodont '' Eodycynodon''. Also found in the ''Pristerognathus'' Assem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Digalodon
''Digalodon'' is an extinct genus of kistecephalian dicynodont. For a time it was considered synonymous with other dicynodonts as a small juvenile of a larger genus, such as ''Aulacephalodon'' or ''Dicynodontoides'', however it has since been recognised as a distinct species.Kammerer, C. F., K. D. Angielczyk, and J. Frobisch. 2015. Redescription of Digalodon rubidgei, an emydopoid dicynodont (Therapsida, Anomodontia) from the late Permian of South Africa. Fossil Record 18:43–55. See also * List of therapsids This list of therapsids is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the Therapsida excluding mammals and purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera tha ... References Dicynodonts Anomodont genera {{anomodont-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
