Anteosaurus

Live reconstruction of Anteosaurus

• South Africa ( Karoo Supergroup )

• A. magnificus Watson, 1921

Anteosaurus is an extinct genus of carnivorous synapsids ( " mammal-like reptiles " ) from the late Mittelperm ( Capitanium ) of South Africa. David Meredith Seares Watson (1886 - 1973) published in 1921 the first scientific description of the genus.

Fossils of the only valid type, the type species Anteosaurus magnificus are mainly derived from the Beaufort Group of the South African Karoo main basin, which was at that time in the south of the supercontinent Pangaea. In its ecosystem, a five -to six- foot tall, lumbering beast of Spitzenprädator, the hunt was made ​​on large Tapinocephaliden. Similar findings are from Russia ( Doliosauriscus, Titanophoneus ) and China ( Sinophoneus ) known. All of these forms, however, ( the most recent stage of Mittelperms ) died out at the end of Capitaniums.

Body and Ecology

Anteosaurus is of 32 skulls partially or completely preserved known that could reach a length of 80 centimeters, as well as other postcranial elements. The maximum body length was five to six meters, body weight 500 to 600 pounds. At the massive head the postfrontal between orbital and shoulder formed a bead of different sizes. The thickening of the skull bone leads to the conclusion that animals exert their head as a weapon for hunting or towards conspecifics ( territorial behavior ).

There were suspicions that Anteosaurus with his long tail, the seemingly weak limbs and his attitude led a semi- aquatic lifestyle similar to that of a crocodile. However, the typical speaks for Dinocephalia thickening of the cranial vault for a terrestrial life, as all other known taxa, used their skulls thickened to fights - like the extinct Pachycephalosauria that Brontotheriidae or the recent goats - a terrestrial life had or have. Anteosaurus perhaps spent some time in the water, but was active during the mating season on land where the animals in mating battles clashed their heads and also similar to the modern Komodo dragons hunt for prey.

Synonymy

Anteosaurus magnificus is a high probability the only valid species of the genus Anteosaurus. 1969 Boonstra took six of seven known from Tapinocephalus - zone species under the generic name Anteosaurus together: Eccasaurus, Anteosaurus, Titanognathus, Dinosuchus, Micranteosaurus and Pseudanteosaurus. Titanognathus and Dinosuchus he could identify with certainty as synonyms of Anteosaurus, while the position of Eccasaurus due to scanty fossil material was determined only up to the family. Micranteosaurus and Pseudanteosaurus seem to represent juvenile specimens. Although Boonstra Paranteosaurus still regarded as a separate genus within the Anteosauridae, it is believed today that the holotype has only individual variations, so this is also considered a synonym of Anteosaurus.

Just as the genres presented and the different types represent synonyms, so the oldest specific epithet Anteosaurus magnificus is the only valid one.