In Depth
Menadon is a genus of cynodont that lived in both Madagascar and Brazil, during the Triassic. Given that these two locations would have still been attached to Africa during the Triassic, it is likely that Menadon was also present in parts of Africa, though at the time of writing no fossils have been found in Africa. Like other cynodonts, Menadon would have been a small, squat quadrupedal animal with short limbs. Although cynodonts were often carnivorous, Menadon has been placed in a group that is known to have been primarily if not exclusively herbivorous.
Menadon is closely related to genera such as Exaeretodon and Gomphodontosuchus.
Further Reading
- New traversodontids (Synapsida: Eucynodontia) from the Triassic of Madagascar. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20 (3): 422–427. - J. J. Flynn, J. M. Parrish, B. Rakotosamimanana, L. Ranivoharimanana, W. F. Simpson & A. R. Wyss - 2000. - New Material Of Menadon besairiei (Cynodontia: Traversodontidae) From the Triassic Of Madagascar. - Journal of Verterbate Paleontology 28(2):445-462. - Christian F. Kammerer, John J. Flynn, Lovasoa Ranivoharimanana & Andr� R. Wyss - 2008. – The Malagasy cynodont Menadon besairiei (Cynodontia; Traversodontidae) in the Middle–Upper Triassic of Brazil. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35 (6): e1002562. – Tomaz Panceri Melo, Fernando Abdala &Marina Bento Soares – 2014/2015. – Early evidence of molariform hypsodonty in a Triassic stem-mammal. – Nature Communications. 10: 2841. – Tomaz P. Melo, Ana Maria Ribeiro, Agust�n G. Martinelli & Marina Bento Soares – 2019.
