In Depth Though at the time of writing only known from skulls and jaw bones, it is clear that Tapinocaninus would have been a large dinocephalian therapsid given that the skull alone is some fifty centimetres long. Tapinocaninus is noted for having enlarged teeth that in the front portion of the mouth were angled to … Read more
In Depth Rubidgea is a genus of gorgonopsid that is known to have lived in South Africa during the Wuchiapingian stage of the Permian. Gorgonopsids are noted for having large canine teeth that projected down from the upper jaw, but Rubidgea seems to have had particularly large canine teeth when compared to other gorgonopsids. These … Read more
In Depth Nanogomphodon is a genus of cynodont that lived in Germany during the Mid Triassic. Nanogomphodon is also a tooth taxon on the basis that the only known fossils of the genus are teeth. Further Reading - A traversodont cynodont from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of Baden-W�rttemberg (Germany). - Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 80(2):124-129. - J. … Read more
In Depth There has been a lot of uncertainty as to exactly what Rhopalodon was, but a 2005 study by Tverdokhlebov et al considered the genus to represent a mid-sized dinocephalian therapsid. Further Reading - Upper Permian vertebrates and their sedimentological context in the South Urals, Russia, - Earth-Science Reviews 69 27-77 55 - Valentin … Read more
In Depth Platycraniellus is a genus of therapsid that lived in South Africa during the early Triassic. Further Reading - Redescription of Platycraniellus elegans (Therapsida, Cynodontia) from the lower Triassic of South Africa, and the cladistic relationships of eutheriodonts. - Palaeontology col 50, issue 3 pp 591-618. - Fernando Abdala - 2007.
In Depth Endothiodon is certainly one of the more interesting genera of dicynodont. First named in 1876 from fossils discovered in South Africa, Endothiodon is not only known from other African countries such as Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique, but the genus is also known from India in Asia, and now also Brazil in South America. … Read more
In Depth Exaeretodon seems to have been more herbivorous given that the teeth and jaw structure of Exaeretodon seem to be more suited to grinding. One interesting point of note however is that very young juveniles had no teeth. This suggests that young Exaeretodon had to stay with the mother for an extended period of … Read more
In Depth Baldwinonus is a poorly known genus of pelycosaur that so far is only known from very partial remains. Further Reading - The anatomy and relationships of Stereophallodon and Baldwinonus (Reptilia, Pelycosauria). - Breviora 485: 1–34. - D. Brinkman & D. A. Eberth - 1986.
In Depth Although Ophiacodon lacked a sail like that on the more famous Dimetrodon, Ophiacodon was more of the standard morphology for the pelycosaurs. How Ophiacodon lived and hunted is still a matter of debate today with some claiming that it was a semi aquatic carnivore that fed on fish and amphibians. Support for this … Read more
In Depth Idelesaurus is a genus of dicynodont that lived in Tatarstan during the Permian. Further Reading - A New Dicynodont (Anomodontia, Eotherapsida) from the Upper Permian of Tatarstan. - Paleontological Journal 40(4):434-437. - A. A. Kurkin - 2006.