In Depth Diictodon was a burrowing dicynodont that appears to have been extremely numerous and widespread. It had a short round body, stubby legs and sharp claws on the front feet, all very good adaptations for burrowing life. Although Diictodon did not build interconnecting burrows with others of its species, evidence suggests that large numbers … Read more
In Depth Usually identified as an anomodont, Galechirus has also been considered by some to possibly represent a dicynodont. In general appearance, Galechirus seems to have looked more like a regular lizard than your typical therapsid, which may indicate the Galechirus genus was a late surviving primitive form. Further Reading - On Some New Fossil … Read more
In Depth Myosauroides is a genus of dicynodont therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - Some new Karoo reptiles, with notes on a few others: - Annals of the Transvaal Museum, v. 20, part 3, p. 193-213. - Robert Broom - 1949.
In Depth Suminia is an interesting little genus of anomodont therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. Though the mouth was full of sharp and proportionately large teeth, wear patterns upon the teeth themselves indicate that they were being repeatedly used to process plant material, meaning that Suminia was herbivorous. The holotype specimen of … Read more
In Depth Delectosaurus is a species of dicynodont that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading - New Late Permian dicynodonts from the Vyazniki Assemblage of terrestrial tetrapods of Eastern Europe. - Paleontological Journal 35(1):53-59. - A. A. Kurkin - 2001.
In Depth Cistecephalus could be dubbed the mole of the Permian. The small body was very stout with short limbs which sprawled out to the sides, not great for speed but very good at gripping the sides of a tunnel for traction. The forelimbs in particular show support for very powerful muscles, and were probably … Read more
In Depth Lacking teeth in the usual sense, Lystrosaurus had two tusks, typical of the dicynodonts. These tusks projected downwards from the maxilla, and are thought to have been used to dig up the nutritious roots of plants that grew in the arid climates of the time. It is also thought that Lystrosaurus had a … Read more
In Depth Vivaxosaurus is a genus of dicynodont that lived in Russia during the late Permian. As with relative genera, Vivaxosaurus would have been a quadrupedal herbivore, using two enlarged tusks in the upper jaw to dig out plants. Further Reading - A new Permian dicynodont and the question of the origin of the Kannemeyeroidae. … Read more
In Depth With a length approaching two hundred and forty centimetres long, Dinodontosaurus was certainly large for a dicynodont, though relative genera such as Placerias and Kannemeyeria were even larger still. Dinodontosaurus are quite common, especially in South America where the majority of known fossils come from. The name Dinodontosaurus means ‘terrible toothed lizard’, and … Read more
In Depth Palemydops is a genus of anomodont therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - On some new genera and species of anomodont reptiles from the Karroo beds of South Africa. - Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 647-674. - Robert Broom - 1921.