In Depth Pachydectes was a primitive biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the mid-Permian. Further Reading - A new burnetiamorph (Therapsida: Biarmosuchia) from the Middle Permian of South Africa. - Journal of Paleontology 80 (4): 740–749. - B. S. Rubidge, C. A. Sidor & S. P. Modesto - 2006.
In Depth Microurania is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. As a biarmosuchian, Microurania is expected to have been a predator, and given the small size of the holotype skull, possibly of smaller vertebrates. Further Reading - New primitive therapsids from the Permian of Eastern Europe. - Paleontol. Zh … Read more
In Depth Proburnetia is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading - On the cranial morphology of the basal therapsids Burnetia and Proburnetia (Therapsida: Burnetiidae). - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22 (2): 257–267. - B. S. Rubidge & C. A. Sidor - 2002.
In Depth Lycaenodon has occasionally been considered to be a gorgonopsid, but modern analysis firmly places Lycaenodon as a biarmosuchian therapsid. Like others of its kind, Lycaenodon would have been a predator of other animals. Lycaenodon should not be confused with the similarly named gorgonopsid Lycaenops that was also named By Robert Broom in 1925. … Read more
In Depth Although Hipposaurus possessed the large canine teeth also seen in other therapsid carnivores, it seems to have had a less robust skull construction. This means that large prey animals were probably completely off the menu for this Permian predator. Hipposaurus would still have been able to live off smaller prey, although it may … Read more
In Depth Paraburnetia is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Late Permian. The name Paraburnetia means ‘near Burnetia’, a reference to the similarity of this genus to Burnetia. Further Reading - A new burnetiid (Therapsida: Biarmosuchia) from the Upper Permian of South Africa and its biogeographic implications. - Journal … Read more
In Depth Burnetia is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that is still only known form a single skull that has been heavily compressed. The level of distortion in this skull makes it much more difficult to interpret specific features, though like with many of its relative genera, Burnetia appears to have had many boss-like projections … Read more
In Depth Bullacephalus is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid, and at the time of the genus description is the earliest known appearance of a burnetiid. Bullacephalus is named from a boss-like projection of bone on the skull. Further Reading - A new burnetiamorph (Therapsida: Biarmosuchia) from the lower Beaufort Group of South Africa. - B. … Read more
In Depth Lende is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - Lende chiweta, a new therapsid from Malawi, and its influence on burnetiamorph phylogeny and biogeography. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35(6):e1008698. - A. G. Kruger, B. S. Rubidge, F. Abdala, E. Gomani Chindebvu & L. L. … Read more
In Depth Ictidorhinus is a genus of biarmosuchian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the late Permian. At the time of writing the genus is still only known by a single partial skull, that shows some juvenile characteristics such as a large orbit. Further Reading - On a nearly perfect skull of a new … Read more