Charassognathus
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| Charassognathus gracilis Fossil range: Upper Permian |
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Charassognathus gracilis (meaning 'delicate notched jaw') is purported to be the most 'basal' species of cynodontia and was described in 2007 from a locality near Fraserburg, South Africa. It is known only from the Holotype which dates from the upper Permian Period. Charassognathus gracilis is the only species of Charassognathus. The holotype (South African Museum SAM-PK-K 10369) is made up of a crushed skull, partial lower jaw and one leg.
Charassognathus was a quadrupedal predator. It was named for a notch on its coronoid process which most likely was the insertion point for a chewing muscle, the adductor mandibulae externus. Charassognathus was a tiny animal, with a skull only 5 centimeters in length.
[edit] Description
Charassognathus has a snout that makes up slightly less than half of the total length of its skull and a long facial process on its septomaxilla. Other than these two features it's skull is that of a typical cynodont. The odd shape of its septomaxilla is more typical of therocephalians indicating that it may be close to a common ancestor between the two groups.
[edit] References
- Botha, Abdala & Smith (2007). "The oldest cynodont: new clues on the origin and diversification of the Cynodontia.". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (149): 477–492.
