''Titanophoneus'' ("titanic murderer") is an extinct genus of carnivorous
dinocephalian
therapsid from the
Middle Permian. It is classified within the family
Anteosauridae
Anteosauridae is an extinct family of large carnivorous dinocephalian therapsids that are known from the Middle Permian of Asia, Africa, and South America.These animals were by far the largest predators of the Permian period, with skulls reaching ...
. The
type species is ''Titanophoneus potens''.
Remains of ''Titanophoneus'' have been found at Isheevo in
Russia.
Description
An adult skull would have reached 80 cm with a heavy long snout. The long tail and short limbs show the species to be a primitive therapsid unlike ''
Inostrancevia
''Inostrancevia'' is an extinct genus of carnivorous therapsids, containing the largest members of gorgonopsians, predators characterized by long, saber-tooth-like canines. The various species inhabited European Russia during the Upper Tatarian ...
'' which was more advanced. The structure of the limbs and the density of the bone are designed for a sprawling stance. The temporal opening is more advanced than
Estemmenosuchidae
Estemmenosuchidae is an extinct family of large, very early herbivorous therapsids that flourished during the Guadalupian period. They are distinguished by horn-like structures, probably for display or agonistic behavior. Apart from the best kn ...
but less advanced than ''Inostrancevia''.
The teeth are large with 12 large palate incisors followed by 2 canines and various smaller back teeth. The lower palate is the same as the upper but without the canine teeth. The appearance of ''Titanophoneus'' is reminiscent to the
sphenacodontid pelycosaurs, which included ''
Dimetrodon
''Dimetrodon'' ( or ,) meaning "two measures of teeth,” is an extinct genus of non-mammalian synapsid that lived during the Cisuralian (Early Permian), around 295–272 million years ago (Mya). It is a member of the family Sphenacodontid ...
''.
Gallery
image:Titanophoneus 3.jpg, Reconstruction by Dimitri Bogdanov of a ''Titanophoneus potens'' devouring a '' Ulemosaurus''
image:Titanophoneus2.jpg, Reconstruction of a pack of '' Titanophoneus potens ''
image:Titanophoneus_head.jpg, Reconstruction of the head
image:Titanophoneus Moscow.jpg, Fossil skeleton of a juvenile individual.
image:Doliosauriscus1DB.jpg, Reconstruction of a ''Titanophoneus adamanteus''
image:Titanophoneus_BW.jpg, Life restoration of ''Titanophoneus potens''
image:Titanophoneus chart2 DB15.jpg, ''Titanophoneus'' compared to a human
See also
*
List of therapsids
References
*
External links
Taxonomy
{{Taxonbar, from=Q284062
Anteosaurs
Prehistoric therapsid genera
Prehistoric synapsids of Europe
Fossil taxa described in 1938
Taxa named by Ivan Yefremov
