In Depth Elliotsmithia is a little known genus of pelycosaur that was initially described from the study of a partial skull. Further Reading - A further contribution to our knowledge of the fossil reptiles of the Karroo. - Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 107(3):299-318. - Robert Broom - 1937. - Anatomy and relationships … Read more
In Depth With bone features similar to the genus Mycterosaurus, yet different enough to be distinct, Dendromaia is a genus of varanopid pelycosaur that lived in North America during the Carboniferous. Dendromaia was described from the description of two individuals on a fossil bearing rock slab, one large, the other much smaller with slightly differing … Read more
In Depth Mesenosaurus is a genus of varanopid pelycosaur that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading - Some new Permian reptiles of the USSR. -Academy of Sciences URSS, C. R., 19: 121-126. - Efremov - 1938. - The skull of Mesenosaurus romeri, a small varanopseid (Synapsida: Eupelycosauria) from the Upper Permian of the … Read more
In Depth A relative of the much more famous Edaphosaurus, Gordodon is a genus of sailbacked pelycosaur that lived in North America during the early Permian. The appearance of Gordodon in the early Permian combined with the shape of the teeth which are rounded and formed in rows suggests that Gordodon was one of the … Read more
In Depth Remigiomontanus is a genus of edaphosaurid pelycosaur that lived in Europe during the late Carboniferous. As an edaphosaurid, Remigiomontanus would have had a sail on its back. Further reading - Edaphosauridae (Synapsida, Eupelycosauria) from Europe and their relationship to North American representatives. - Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 1-29. - F. Spindler, S. Voigt & J. … Read more
In Depth Hypselohaptodus is a genus of pelyocsaur that lived in Europe around the early Permian. Further Reading Re-evaluation of an early sphenacodontian synapsid from the Lower Permian of England. - Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal - Frederik Spindler - 2019.
In Depth Originally thought to be a diapsid reptile, Heleosaurus was later realised to be a varanopid pelycosaur. Heleosaurus would have been a predator of other small animals. Further Reading - On Some New Fossil Reptiles from the Karroo Beds of Victoria West, South Africa. Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 18:31-42- Robert Broom … Read more
In Depth Pyozia is a genus of varanopid pelycosaur that lived in Russia during the Permian. Further Reading - Pyozia mesenensis, a New, Small Vapanopid (Synapsida: Eupelycosauria) from Russia: ‘‘Pelycosaur’’ Diversity in the Middle Permian. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(1):173-179. - J. S. Anderson & R. R. Reisz - 2004.
In Depth Initially thought to be a diapsid, Apsisaurus was later realised to a Eupelycosaurian varnopisd. As a Varanopid, Apsisaurus was related to the more famous Varanops which also lived in Texas at the same approximate time as Apsisaurus. Further Reading - The osteology of a Lower Permian eosuchian from Texas and a review of … Read more
In Depth The holotype fossils of Kenomagnathus were originally thought to be of the genus Haptodus until they were formally described as a distinct genus in 2020. Although only partially preserved, the size of the lacrimal bone suggests that Kenomagnathus would have had large eyes. As a hunter, these large eyes might have helped Kenomagnathus … Read more