In Depth As a genus Sinoconodon represents one of the most primitive mammaliaforms currently known to science. There were once four species of Sinoconodon named, but it was eventually realised that all of these fossils represented individuals of the same species but at different growth stages. Only the type species, S. rigneyi today remains valid. … Read more
In Depth Traversodon is a genus of cynodont that lived in South America during the Triassic. Further Reading – Lieferung 2. Cynodontia [Part 2. Cynodontia] - Die Fossilen Reptilien des S�damerikanischen Gondwanalandes. Ergebnisse der Sauriergrabungen in S�dbrasilien 1928/29 [The Fossil Reptiles of South American Gondwanaland. Results of the Dinosaur Expeditions in southern Brazil 1928/29]. - … Read more
In Depth Kayentatherium is a genus of cynodont therapsid that lived in the south-west USA during the Early Jurassic.Further reading - A new tritylodontid from the Kayenta formation of Arizona. - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 76:1-17. - D. M. Kermack - 1982. - The Postcranial Skeleton of Kayentatherium wellesi from the Lower Jurassic … Read more
In Depth Although the name essentially means crocodile, Procynosuchus was actually a cynodont descended from mammal like reptiles like the therapsids. Procynosuchus is not the only mammal like reptile to cause some confusion like this as others such as the therapsids Biarmoscuhus and Titanosuchus suggest that they are crocodiles when you glance at the name, … Read more
In Depth Beishanodon is a genus of cynodont therapsid that lived in China during the Triassic. Further Reading - A new nonmammalian eucynodont (Synapsida: Therapsida) from the Triassic of northern Gansu Province, China, and its biostratigraphic and biogeographic implications. - American Museum Novitates 3685:1-25. - K.-Q. Gao, R. C. Fox, C.-F. Zhou & D.-Q. Li … Read more
In Depth Neotrirachodon is listed as a genus of gomphodont, cynodont therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. If this analysis is correct then Neotrirachodon is the first gomphosont cynodont to be discovered in Russia. Neotrirachodon was originally described as a species of Antecosuchus, and at times the genus has been considered by some … Read more
In Depth Charruodon is a genus of cynodont that lived in South America during the Triassic. Further Reading - A new therioherpetid cynodont from the Santa Maria Formation (middle Late Triassic), southern Brazil. - Geodiversitas 22 (4). - F. Abdala & A. M. Ribeiro - 2000.
In Depth As a cynodont Thrinaxodon was the result of the on-going evolution of mammal like reptiles that had can be traced all the way back to the early synapsids. Thrinaxodon however displays numerous features that place it much closer to mammals than its reptile origin would imply. The first and most evolutionary significant feature … Read more
In Depth If Trucidocynodon could be notable for just one thing it would be size. At over a meter in length Trucidocynodon was positively huge for a cynodont as most of its relatives were rarely more than about half a meter. The large size growth of Trucidocynodon may have been a result of continuing divergence … Read more
In Depth The cynodonts are known to come in a variety of sizes, but at up to two meters in length, Diademodon is easily amongst the largest known cynodonts. Like other cynodonts, Diademodon may have been an omnivore eating both certain parts of plants as well as other animals and carrion. Diademodon lived during the … Read more