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
In Depth Lycideops is a genus of therocephalian therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Late Permian. Further Reading - The Oldest Therocephalians (Therapsida, Eutheriodontia) and the Early Diversification of Therapsida. - Palaeontology 51 (4): 1011. - F. Abdala, B. S. Rubidge & J. Van Den Heever - 2008. - Reassessment of the morphology … Read more
In Depth Ictidognathus is a genus of therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading – On some New South African Permian Reptiles. – Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1911, p. 1073-1082. – Robert Broom – 1911.
In Depth Named from a partial skull, Glanosuchus is still one of the more interesting therapsid predators of the Permian. The ear structure of Glanosuchus reveals the early stages towards a development of an inner ear, something that later mammals would possess. This would mean that Glanosuchus likely had better hearing than earlier synapsids, though … Read more
In Depth Mupashi is a genus therocephalian therapsid that lived in Zambia during the Permian. Further Reading - The first karenitid (Therapsida, Therocephalia) from the upper Permian of Gondwana and the biogeography of Permo-Triassic therocephalians. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. - A. K. Huttenlocker & C. A. Sidor - 2016.
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 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 Lycosuchus was a genus of therocephalia therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Late Permian. Lycosuchus would have been an active predator of other vertebrates, and is particularly noted for having two enlarged canine teeth in each side of the upper jaw. Further Reading - On an almost perfect skull of a … Read more
In Depth Malasaurus is a genus of therocephalian that lived in what is now Russia during the mid-Triassic. Further Reading - Gomphodont cynodonts (Reptilia, Theriodontia) from the Middle Triassic of Orenburg Region. - Paleontological Journal 36 (3): 176–179. - L. P. Tatarinov - 2002.
In Depth Scylacorhinus is a genus of scylacosaurid therapsid that lived in South Africa during the Permian. Further Reading - Catalogue of types and figured specimens of fossil vertebrates in the American Museum of Natural History. II.–Permian, Triassic and Jurassic reptiles of South Africa. - Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 25(2):105-164. - … Read more