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 Bienotherium is a genus of cynodont that lived in China during the early Jurassic. Further Reading - Preliminary notes on the Mesozoic mammals of Lufeng, Yunnan, China. - Bulletin of the Geological Survey of China 20:93-111. - C. C. Young - 1940.
In Depth A relative of the genus Kannemeyeria, Sinokannemeyeria was a fairly large herbivore that lived during the Triassic. Two large tusks grew down from the upper jaw, and these were most probably used to dig out plants for eating. Further Reading - On the Triassic dicynodonts from Shansi. - Bulletin of the Geological Society … Read more
In Depth First described as a species of Thrinaxodon, Prozostrodon is a genus of cynodont that used to live in South America during the Triassic. Further Reading - On two advanced carnivorous cynodonts from the Late Triassic of Southern Brazil. - Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 156:59-80. - J. F. Bonaparte & M. … Read more
In Depth Keratocephalus is a genus of tapinocephalid dinocephalian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. The most noteworthy thing about Keratocephalus is that known specimens show a range of variation to the point where there is speculation that the different skulls may be a sign of difference between males and females, or … Read more
In Depth Martensius is a genus of primitive caseidid synapsid that lived in Europe during the early Permian. Martensius is known from both adult and juvenile specimens, and these show a development in changing dietary habits as individual Martensius as they grew older. The teeth of Martensius are triangular like those of earlier more primitive … 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 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 Though only known from the forward half of a skull, Raranimus was still a very exciting discovery, as not only is Raranimus one of it not the oldest therapsids known, it appears to be a transitional form that links therapsids with earlier sphenacodont pelycosaurs (i.e. Sphenacodon, Dimetrodon, Secodontosaurus, etc). At the time of … Read more
In Depth Gorynychus is a genus of therocephalian therapsid that lived in Russia during the Permian. At the time of writing Gorynychus is known from two species, the type (first to be named) species G. masyutinae, and the second species, G. sundyrensis, which seems to have been slightly larger. Further Reading - A new therocephalian … Read more