Pristerognathus
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| Pristerognathus Temporal range: Middle Permian | |
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| P. minor skull at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Order: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | †Therocephalia |
| Family: | †Scylacosauridae |
| Genus: | †Pristerognathus |
Pristerognathus is an extinct genus of therocephalian, known from the late Middle Permian (Capitanian) of South Africa.[1] It lends its name to the Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone of the Beaufort Group of South African geological strata. Pristerognathus was a medium sized therocephalian with a 25 cm skull and a total length up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft).[2]
Restoration of two P. vanderbyli
P. minor jaw muscle diagram and life restoration
These animals were roughly cat-sized, and are characterized by long, narrow skulls with large canines. They are likely to have preyed on smaller therapsids and millerettids of the time.[3]
Pristerognathus was discovered in 1904 by Broom.[4] Three species are known: P. baini, P. polyodon, and P. platyrhinus.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ F. Abdala, B. Rubidge, and J. van der Heever, "The oldest therocephalians (Therapsida, Eutheriodonta) and the early diversification of Therapsida," Palaeontology, 51, 1011-1024 (2008)
- ↑ Stainford Kemp, Thomas(2005) The origin and evolution of mammals p.55
- ↑ M. J. Benton, When Life Nearly Died, p. 218, London: Thames and Hudson Co. (2008).
- ↑ R. Broom. 1904. On Two New Therocephalian Reptiles (Glanosuchus macrops and Pristerognathus baini). Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 15:85-88
- ↑ http://paleodb.geology.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=56812
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