In Depth Diictodon was a burrowing dicynodont that appears to have been extremely numerous and widespread. It had a short round body, stubby legs and sharp claws on the front feet, all very good adaptations for burrowing life. Although Diictodon did not build interconnecting burrows with others of its species, evidence suggests that large numbers … Read more
In Depth Nothogomphodon is a genus of therapsid that lived in Asia during the Early Triassic. Nothogomphodon is notable for the presence of shearing sectorial teeth that are more commonly seen in cynodonts. These teeth would have given Nothogomphodon a large advantage in chewing through meat. Further Reading – New discoveries from the Sinokannemeyeria-Shansisuchus Assemblage … Read more
In Depth Pentasaurus is a genus of dicynodont that lived in South Africa during the Triassic. Pentasaurus should not be confused with the dinosaur Pentaceratops. Further Reading - The first skeletal evidence of a dicynodont from the lower Elliot Formation of South Africa. - Palaeontologia africana 52:102-128. - C. F. Kammerer - 2018.
In Depth A relative of the genus Moschops, Criocephalosaurus was a tapniocephalid dinocephalian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. As with relative genera, Criocephalosaurus is noted for having a skull that grew extremely thick on top, perhaps as a form of display or as something used in head pushing contests with rivals. … Read more
In Depth Ictidosuchus is a little known genus of therapsid. Further Reading – On a new theriodont reptile (Ictidosuchus primaevus) from the Karroo Beds, South Africa. – Annals of the Magazine of Natural History 6:314-316. – Robert Broom – 1900.
In Depth Dicynodontoides is a genus of dicynodont that lived during the Permian. So far D. recurvidens is known from South Africa, while D. nowacki is known from Tanzania. Further Reading - Die Anomodontier des Ruhuhu-Gebietes in der T�binger Sammlung [Anomodontia of Ruhuhu valley in the collection of T�bingen]. - Palaeontographica Abteilung A 94:154-184. - … Read more
In Depth Usually identified as an anomodont, Galechirus has also been considered by some to possibly represent a dicynodont. In general appearance, Galechirus seems to have looked more like a regular lizard than your typical therapsid, which may indicate the Galechirus genus was a late surviving primitive form. Further Reading - On Some New Fossil … Read more
In Depth Myosauroides is a genus of dicynodont therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - Some new Karoo reptiles, with notes on a few others: - Annals of the Transvaal Museum, v. 20, part 3, p. 193-213. - Robert Broom - 1949.
In Depth Homodontosaurus was first described from a partial skull which Robert Broom thought might have come from a pelycosaur and perhaps one similar to Elliotsmithia. Then in 1950 a second specimen of Homodontosaurus was described by Brink, and this one included parts of the post cranial skeleton. This revealed that Homodontosaurus was not a … 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