In Depth Borealestes is a genus of docodont therapsid that lived in Scotland during the Permian. A former species B. mussettae, has now been given its own genus, Dobunnodon. Further reading - The first Jurassic mammal from Scotland. - Journal of the Geological Society 128:119-125. - M. Waldman & R. J. G. Savage - 1972. … Read more
In Depth Inditherium is a genus of cynodont that lived in India during the Triassic. Further reading - New cynodonts (Therapsida, Eucynodontia) from the Late Triassic of India and their significances. - Journal of Paleontology: 1–18. - M. S. Bhat, S. Ray & P. M. Datta - 2020.
In Depth With a body length of just over one meter, Arctognathus was on the small side for a gorgonopsid, but it still would have been a potent predator in its own right. Two additional species of Arctognathus once existed, but these have now been assigned to new genera. Fossils of Arctognathus cookei have now … Read more
In Depth A South African gorgonopsian predator, Aelurognathus is noted for having small incisor teeth, something that might means that it scraped flesh from bones rather than crunch on the bones directly. Additionally remains of a dicynodont thought to have been fed upon by an Aelurognathus show that it was pulled apart from the rear. … Read more
In Depth Aelurosaurus was a fairly small gorgonopsid, and although a predator in its own right, Aelurosaurus probably had to be wary of its larger gorgonopsid cousins. Further Reading - On the Order Theriodontia, with a Description of a new genus and species (Aelurosaurus felinus, Ow), Richard Owen - 1881. - Phylogeny and evolution of … Read more
In Depth Aleodon is a genus of cynodont that lived during the Triassic. The type species A. brachyrhamphus is at the time of writing known only from Africa, whereas the second species A. cromptoni is known from South America. Aleodon existed a time when the continents of South America and Africa were still joined. Further … Read more
In Depth Kembawacela is a genus of burrowing dicynodont that lived in Africa during the late Permian. Aside from living in burrows, Kembawacela would have roamed around looking for plants to eat. There is some evidence for sexual dimorphism in Kembawacela due to not all of the fossil skulls having tusks. The large development of … Read more
In Depth Agudotherium is a genus of cynodont therapsid that lived in South America during the late Triassic. Further Reading - A New Prozostrodontian Cynodont (Eucynodontia, Probainognathia) from the Upper Triassic of Southern Brazil. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (3): e1782415. - Micheli Stefanello, Leonardo Kerber, Agustin G. Martinelli, & S�rgio Dias-Da-Silva - 2020.
In Depth Purbeckodon is a genus of mammaliaform that lived in the early Cretaceous. Mammaliformes like Purbeckodon were mammal-like but were not quite true mammals. Regardless, Purbeckodon would have still resembled a small rodent in terms of physical appearance. Further Reading - Possible persistence of the morganucodontans in the Lower Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group (Dorset, … Read more
In Depth So far Archaeosyodon is only known by an incomplete skull, but it is still enough to clearly identify this as a dinocephalian therapsid. As such, Archaeosyodon would have been a predator of other therapsids and possibly other kinds of vertebrates during the Permian. Further Reading - Upper Permian therapsids of the Ezhovo locality, … Read more