Palæos:

  

Unit 400: Therapsida

The Vertebrates

900: Theriodontia: Therocephalia

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Therapsida: Theriodontia: Therocephalia

Abbreviated Cladogram

SYNAPSIDA
|
Therapsida
|--Biarmosuchia
`--+--Dinocephalia
   |  |--Anteosauria
   |  `--Tapinocephalia
   `--+--Anomodontia
      |  |--Venyukovioidea
      |  `--Dicynodontia   
      `--Theriodontia
         |--Gorgonopsia
         `--Eutheriodontia 
            |--Therocephalia
            `--CYNODONTIA

Contents

400.000 Overview
400.100 Therapsida
400.200 Ancestral forms
400.300 Biarmosuchia
400.400 Dinocephalia
400.500 Anomodontia
400.600 Dicynodontia
400.700 Theriodontia
400.800 Gorgonopsia
400.900 Therocephalia
Cladogram 
References

Taxa on This Page

  1. Eutheriodontia
  2. Therocephalia X

The Therocephalia

Moschorhinus kitchingi
The advanced, felid-like Therocephalian Moschorhinus kitchingi - artwork by Dmitry Bogdanov - Wikipedia

page under construction...

I have decided to divide the Theriodontia page into several subpages to give better coverage to the various theriodont groups. The present page will be the main Therocephalia page. In the meantime, until all the appropriate links are revised, see the following:

Theriodontia page located here

Gorgonopsia located here

Sorry for any inconvenience!

MAK09111

Eutheriodontia: Therocephalia + Cynodontia [RS01]

Range: from the Middle Permian.

Phylogeny: Theriodontia: Gorgonopsia + *: Therocephalia + Cynodontia.

Characters: temporal roof reduced to sagittal crest [RS01]; posterior ramus of postorbital fails to meet squamosal [RS01]; epipterygoid anteroposteriorly expanded (= alisphenoid) [RS01]; respiratory turbinal bones may have been present (suggesting a degree of endothermy) [RS01]; palatine (palatal?) teeth absent [RS01].

References: Rubidge & Sidor (2001) [RS01]. ATW020219.

Annatherapsidus petri Therocephalia: Bauria, Lycosuchus, Moschorhinus.

Phylogeny: Eutheriodontia: Cynodontia + *. 

Range: mP-mT of China, Antarctica, SAfr. & Rus. 

Characters: Massive skull; postorbital bar may be incomplete (i.e. orbit and temporal fenestra are confluent); $ stapes rod-like & stapedial foramen (for quadrate) absent [RS01]; epipterygoid expanded laterally to braincase (also in cynodonts); jaw muscles expanded over braincase; some with complete secondary palate (evolved independently of cynodonts), but vomer participates in palate; $ suborbital vacuities at intersection of pterygoid, ectopterygoid & palatines [RS01]; large canines; simple conical post-canine teeth, frequently lost; thin, small lumbar ribs; $ ilium with finger-like projection from anterior margin [RS01]; long limbs; diverse small to large predators or insectivores; some herbivores. 

Links: Theriodontia; Schnellbestimmung anhand von typischen Schädelmerkmalen; Vertebrates; BPI Palaeontology ... Fossil Picture Gallery (small picture in lower left corner); Annatherapsidus.  

References: Rubidge & Sidor (2001) [RS01]

Image: Annatherapsidus petri from (as usual) mathematical.com. ATW000918.

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