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Biarmosuchia
Biarmosuchians are an extinct clade of non-mammalian synapsids from the Permian. They are the most basal group of the therapsids. All of them were moderately-sized, lightly-built carnivores, intermediate in form between basal sphenacodont "pelycosaurs" and more advanced therapsids. Biarmosuchians were rare components of Permian ecosystems, and the majority of species belong to the clade Burnetiamorpha, which are characterized by elaborate cranial ornamentation. Characteristics The biarmosuchian skull is very similar to the sphenacodontid skull, differing only in the larger temporal fenestra (although these are still small relative to later therapsids), slightly backward-sloping occiput (the reverse of the pelycosaur condition), reduced number of teeth, and single large canine teeth in both upper and lower jaws, and other features (Carroll 1988 pp. 370, Benton 2000 p. 114). In later specialised Biarmosuchia, these resemble the enlarged canines of the Gorgonopsia. The pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Therapsid
Therapsida is a major group of eupelycosaurian synapsids that includes mammals, their ancestors and relatives. Many of the traits today seen as unique to mammals had their origin within early therapsids, including limbs that were oriented more underneath the body, as opposed to the sprawling posture of many reptiles and salamanders. Therapsids evolved from "pelycosaurs", specifically within the Sphenacodontia, more than 279.5 million years ago. They replaced the "pelycosaurs" as the dominant large land animals in the Middle Permian through to the Early Triassic. In the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic extinction event, therapsids declined in relative importance to the rapidly diversifying reptiles during the Middle Triassic. The therapsids include the cynodonts, the group that gave rise to mammals ( Mammaliaformes) in the Late Triassic, around 225 million years ago. Of the non-mammalian therapsids, only cynodonts survived beyond the end of the Triassic, with the only other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biarmosuchus Tener
''Biarmosuchus'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchian therapsids that lived around 267 mya during the Middle Permian period. ''Biarmosuchus'' was discovered in the Perm region of Russia. The first specimen was found in channel sandstone that was deposited by flood waters originating from the young Ural Mountains. Description ''Biarmosuchus'' was a medium-sized predator, similar in size to a large dog, grew up to 1.5–2 m in length with a skull length 15 cm (immature) to 21 cm. It was a lightly built, probably agile animal that would have fed on smaller tetrapods. Their legs are quite long, and the animals were probably quite agile in spite of their size. A large opening for the eye and a small temple opening common in primitive stem-mammals, this lends to a weak bite but how it ate is pure speculation. The teeth contained eight small incisors on the palate, followed by a canine tooth and a further five canine teeth. So together the species contained fourteen upper t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rubidgina
''Rubidgina'' is a genus of Biarmosuchian therapsid from Patrysfontein, Wellwood, South Africa known from RC 55, a skull with lower jaws. This specimen is a putative juvenile. It has been suggested that this specimen actually represents a juvenile of ''Herpetoskylax ''Herpetoskylax'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchians which existed in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that s ... hopsoni.'' However, because the specimen lacks distinctive features, it cannot be determined if it is actually a juvenile of ''Herpetoskylax'' or if its current name of ''Rubidgina'' should remain. References Biarmosuchians Prehistoric therapsid genera Lopingian synapsids of Africa Fossil taxa described in 1942 {{paleo-therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eotitanosuchidae
Eotitanosuchidae is an extinct family of biarmosuchian therapsids. The Eotitanosuchidae were large predatory therapsids of the Wordian epoch. It was once considered to belong to a separate infraorder of therapsids called Eotitanosuchia. Characteristics The Eotitanosuchians seem to be more advanced than the Biarmosuchia in that the temporal opening behind the eye socket—although small—is still somewhat larger than the biarmosuchians; it is expanded in the upper rear ( posterodorsal) margin, allowing the area of attachment of the adductor ( jaw closing) muscles to be visible from the dorsal (top) view looking down. The eotitanosuchian bite was stronger and more efficient than the biarmosuchian bite. For this reason, some paleontologists see the eotitanosuchids as transitional between the biarmosuchians and higher therapsids. It is at least as likely that features of a larger temporal opening—and hence increased muscle mass and biting power—evolved simultaneously among a nu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lycaenodon
''Lycaenodon'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchian therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa. It is known from a single species, ''Lycaenodon longiceps'', which was named by South African paleontologist Robert Broom in 1925. Both are small-bodied biarmosuchians. Two specimens are known, and both preserve only the front portions of the skull. These specimens come from the ''Cistecephalus'' Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin. Broom attributed the back portion of a third skull to ''Lycaenodon'', but subsequent examiners considered it to belong to a gorgonopsian or dinocephalian and not a biarmosuchian. Most of the distinguishing features of ''Lycaenodon'' come from its palate. As a member of Biarmosuchia, the most basal group of therapsids, ''Lycaenodon'' shares many features with earlier and less mammal-like synapsids like ''Dimetrodon''. A 2012 phylogenetic analysis of biarmosuchians found ''Lycaenodon'' to be a close relative of the derived clade Burnetiamorpha Burnet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ictidorhinus
''Ictidorhinus'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchian therapsids. Fossils have been found from the ''Dicynodon'' Assemblage Zone of the Beaufort Group in the Karoo Basin, South Africa and are of Late Permian age. It had a short snout and proportionally large orbits. These characteristics may be representative of a juvenile animal, possibly of ''Lycaenodon''. However, these two genera are not known to have existed at the same time, making it unlikely for ''Ictidorhinus'' material to be from a juvenile form of ''Lycaenodon''. Sidor, C. A. and Rubidge, B. S. (2006). ''Herpetoskylax hopsoni'', a new biarmosuchian (Therapsida: Biarmosuchia) from the Beaufort Group in South Africa. ''In:'' Matthew T. Carrano, Timothy J. Gaudin, Richard W. Blob and John R. Wible, eds., ''Amniote Paeobiology''. Chicago. University of Chicago Press. pp. 96. ''Ictidorhinus'' is the best-known representative of the family Ictidorhinidae, named by South African paleontologist Robert Broom in 1932. Many biarm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hipposauridae
Hipposauridae is an extinct family of biarmosuchian therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa. It includes the genus ''Hipposaurus'', and possibly the genera '' Hipposauroides'' and ''Pseudhipposaurus''. A closely related biarmosuchian is ''Ictidorhinus'', which has been placed in the family Ictidorhinidae ''Ictidorhinus'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchian therapsids. Fossils have been found from the ''Dicynodon'' Assemblage Zone of the Beaufort Group in the Karoo Basin, South Africa and are of Late Permian age. It had a short snout and proport .... References Biarmosuchians Lopingian first appearances Lopingian extinctions Prehistoric therapsid families Taxa named by Alfred Romer {{paleo-therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gorgonopsia
Gorgonopsia (from the Greek Gorgon, a mythological beast, and 'aspect') is an extinct clade of sabre-toothed therapsids from the Middle to Upper Permian roughly 265 to 252 million years ago. They are characterised by a long and narrow skull, as well as elongated upper and sometimes lower canine teeth and incisors which were likely used as slashing and stabbing weapons. Postcanine teeth are generally reduced or absent. For hunting large prey, they possibly used a bite-and-retreat tactic, ambushing and taking a debilitating bite out of the target, and following it at a safe distance before its injuries exhausted it, whereupon the gorgonopsian would grapple the animal and deliver a killing bite. They would have had an exorbitant gape, possibly in excess of 90°, without having to unhinge the jaw. They markedly increased in size as time went on, growing from small skull lengths of in the Middle Permian to bear-like proportions of up to in the Upper Permian. The latest gorgonopsia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ustia (therapsid)
''Ustia'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchian therapsids from the Middle Permian of Russia. It is known from a single species, ''Ustia atra'', which was described in 2003 from an isolated lower jaw. ''Ustia'' was classified in the family Ictidorhinidae, which also includes the genus ''Ictidorhinus'' from South Africa. Both are relatively small biarmosuchians. Several other Russian therapsids known only from lower jaw bones have been placed in Ictidorhinidae, and the family is likely a paraphyletic assemblage representing a small body type than a true clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, .... References Biarmosuchians Prehistoric therapsid genera Guadalupian synapsids of Europe Fossil taxa described in 2003 {{paleo-therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herpetoskylax
''Herpetoskylax'' is an extinct genus of biarmosuchians which existed in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun .... The type species is ''Herpetoskylax hopsoni''. It lived in the Late Permian Period. The genus name means ‘reptile-puppy’, from the Ancient Greek ' (, ‘creeping animal’) and ' (, ‘young dog’). The juxtaposition of reptilian and mammalian names highlights the transitional characters of therapsids. The type specimen is CGP 1/67, a skull. References Biarmosuchians Prehistoric therapsid genera Lopingian synapsids of Africa Fossil taxa described in 2006 Taxa named by Christian Sidor Lopingian genus first appearances Lopingian genus extinctions {{Paleo-therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wantulignathus
''Wantulignathus'' is genus of biarmosuchian therapsid from the Madumabisa Mudstone Formation, Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent .... It is known from fragmentary lower jaws and ribs. References Biarmosuchians Prehistoric therapsid genera Guadalupian synapsids of Africa Lopingian synapsids of Africa Fossil taxa described in 2016 {{paleo-therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biarmosuchidae
Biarmosuchidae is a family of biarmosuchian therapsids Therapsida is a major group of eupelycosaurian synapsids that includes mammals, their ancestors and relatives. Many of the traits today seen as unique to mammals had their origin within early therapsids, including limbs that were oriented mor ... from Russia. References Biarmosuchians Prehistoric therapsid families Fossil taxa described in 1962 {{Paleo-Therapsid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
