Varanopseidae

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Varanopseidae
Fossil range: Late Carboniferous to early Late Permian

Varanops brevirostris

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Superclass:	Tetrapoda
Class:	Synapsida
Order:	Pelycosauria
(unranked)	Eupelycosauria
Family:	Varanopseidae

Groups

See "taxonomy"

Archaeovenator hamiltonensis

Varanodon agilis

Varanopseids were a group of synapsid pelycosaurs that resemble monitor lizards and may have had the same lifestyle, hence their name. No varanopseids developed a sail like Dimetrodon. Most varanopseids were small ranging from lizard-sized animals to the size of a dog. Varanopseids already showed some advanced characteristics of true pelycosaurs such as deep, narrow, elongated skulls. Their jaws were long, and the teeth were sharp. However, they were still primitive by mammalian standards. Like many other pelycosaur families, they evolved from an Archaeothyris-like synapsid from the Late Carboniferous. They have long tails, lizard-like body, and thin legs. Varanopseids were mostly carnivorous, but as they were reduced in size, their diets changed from a carnivorous to an insectivorous lifestyle. Compared to the other animals in Early Permian, Varanopseids were agile creatures. But the last of the varanopseids were outcompeted, they were replaced by the evolving diapsids and by the early part of Late Permian, they became extinct.

[edit] Taxonomy and Phylogeny

Class Synapsida
Order Pelycosauria
- Eupelycosauria
  - Family Varanopseidae
    - Basicranodon
    - Varanosaurus
    - Archaeovenator
    - Subfamily Mycterosaurinae
      - Mycterosaurus
      - Mesenosaurus
    - Subfamily Varanodontinae
      - Elliotsmithia
      - Aerosaurus
      - Varanodon
      - Varanops