Theriognathus

Name: Theriognathus (Mammal jaw).
Phonetic: Feh-ree-og-nath-us.
Named By: Richard Owen - 1876.
Synonyms: Alopecopsis, Aneugomphius, Hyenosaurus, Notaelurops, Notosollasia, Whaitsia.
Classification: Chordata, Synapsida, Therapsida, Therocephalia, Whaitsiidae.
Species: T. microps (type).
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: 1 meter long.
Known locations: South Africa.
Time period: Late Permian.
Fossil representation: Skull.

       Theriognathus represents a later group of therapsids that would survive into the Triassic. Although the name Theriognathus means mammal jaw, the lower jaw is actually made of several bones like in reptiles. Theriognathus was more suited to hunting smaller prey items in the undergrowth.

Further reading
- On the genus Theriognathus Owen (including Whaitsia, Notosollasia, Alopecopsis, Notaelurops, Moschorhynchus and Aneugomphius). - Annals of the Geological Survey, Pretoria. 14: 1–37. - A. S. Brink - 1980.

Random favourites