Leontocephalus

Leontocephalus
Temporal range: Late Permian
Life restoration of Leontocephalus intactus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Family: †Gorgonopsidae
Genus: †Leontocephalus
Broom, 1940
Species
  • †L. cadlei Broom, 1940 (type)
  • †L. haughtoni (von Huene, 1950 [originally Aelurognathus haughtoni])
  • †L. intactus Kemp, 1969
  • †L. rubidgei (Broom, 1940 [originally Broomisaurus rubidgei])
Synonyms
  • Broomisaurus Broom, 1940

Leontocephalus is an extinct genus of gorgonopsian therapsid from the Permian of South Africa. It was first named by Broom in 1940, and contains four species, L. cadlei, L. haughtoni, L. intactus, and L. rubidgei.[1] It was a powerful predator reaching 1.75 m in body length.[2] Due to the wear facets on the skull of Leontocephalus, it was capable of opening its jaws to a full 90 degrees, in order to separate its large canine teeth before biting into its prey.[3] A 2007 study of gorgonopsians referred all Leontocephalus species to the genus Sycosaurus, making Leontocephalus a junior synonym of Sycosaurus.[1]

See also

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gebauer, E.V.I. (2007). Phylogeny and evolution of the Gorgonopsia with a special reference to the skull and skeleton of GPIT/RE/7113 ('Aelurognathus?' parringtoni) (PDF) (Ph.D. thesis). Tübingen: Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen. pp. 1–316.
  2. ↑ http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/bmorefossilhunter/message/1969
  3. ↑ The Origin and Evolution of Mammals, Page 53. By Tom Kemp; published 2005 Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850761-5 Retrieved on June 23rd, 2008.