Lycaenops

Artistic reconstruction of live Lycaenops

• South Africa

Lycaenops ( "wolf face ") is a carnivorous Therapside from the group of gorgonopsians. The genus lived in the Central and Upper Permian ( Capitanium to Wuchiapingium ). The gorgonopsians among the Theriodontia, ancestors of mammals.

In the formations of the Karoo ( at the time of discovery and in the Great Atlas of prehistory still Karru ) the doctor and archaeologist Robert Broom found the first fossil remains of this genus. Since then, many more fossil finds were made, a total of four to six Lycaenops species were attributed.

Physique

Lycaenops had a typical gorgonopsians skeleton with a relative to the body rather large head ( up to 30 cm long) and two long, grown to fangs, sharp canines, and an outwardly curved snout, both characteristic features. In addition Lycaenops had five large incisors, four of which are located in Zwischenkieferbein. The canine teeth are sawn and were combined with the incisors likely to take and kill the prey used. Due to the sawed sharp teeth is believed that Lycaenops tore large pieces of meat from the prey and swallowed them down whole. The skull is described as built long and thin, but still relatively low. In addition, the skull is described as something went wrong and the squamosal is not very well connected to the square leg. Known material encloses parts of the Postcraniums and the skull, this is relatively well preserved in L. ornatus.

System

Outer systematics

Lycaenops is Gorgonopside, which is one of the most easily recognizable as such. Classifying Lycaenops as a member of Gorgonopsidae confirmed by Carroll ( 1988). The animal has much in common with Aelurognathus and Prorubidgea one, but is basal, generally Lycaenops was a relatively basal genus. These genera are sometimes classified in its own subfamily ( " Rubidgeinae ").

Inside systematics

The following Lycaenops species have been described:

• L. ornatus, was described by the holotype known AMNH 2240, the Broom (1925 ). A Re- description followed by Colbert (1948 )

• L. angusticeps, holotype (AMNH 5537) described by Broom (1913).

• L. quadrata, holotype (SAM 7856) described by Haughton (1927 ).

• L. attenuatus, holotype (BPI 259) described by Brink, AS and Kitching, JW ( 1953).
• L. Sollasi? , Holotype (MS 1934 VIII 29) described by Broili and Schroeder (1935 ).

• L. microdon? , Holotype (SAM 9344) described by Boonstra (1934 ), as Lycaenops species classified by Sigogneau (1970).