Australosyodon

Life image of Australosyodon nyaphuli

• South Africa ( Karoo main basin, Beaufort Group)

• Australosyodon nyaphuli Rubidge, 1994

Australosyodon is an extinct genus of primitive therapsids ( " mammal -like reptiles ") on the Middle Permian of South Africa.

Closely related to the genus Syodon from the Russian Ischejewo fauna represents Australosyodon the earliest discovery of a representative of the anteosauriden Dinocephalia outside Russia represents the fossils of Australosyodon come from the Eodicynodon assemblage zone, the lowest rock bank of the South African Beaufort Group and has the existence of earlier, more primitive therapsids in the Southern Hemisphere to go. The first description was published Bruce S. Rubidge in 1994.

Description

Australosyodon was a medium-sized Dinocephalier. The skull was tall and narrow, measuring 26 centimeters, suggesting a height of approximately 1.80 meters. The skullcap had a thickening, as was typical of the Dinocephalier. Overall, the skull was very similar to Syodon, but differed slightly in terms of the shape and extent of the Pachyostose (bone thickening ).

Canines were laterally flattened, and had a rearwardly and the center sharp edge. The shape, number and arrangement of the teeth are the characteristics that differed from those that were found in Syodon.

Classification

Australosyodon is considered very primitive anteosaurider Dinocephalier and the first known representative of this group from the southern hemisphere. How Syodon also owned Australosyodon not typical of the abgeleiteteren forms of Anteosaurier as Anteosaurus Titanophoneus or thickening on the lower jaw. The two closely related genera Australosyodon Syodon and are therefore grouped together to the subfamily Syodontinae.

Microsyodon

Archaeosyodon

Notosyodon

Australosyodon

Syodon

Anteosaurinae (eg Anteosaurus )