Sphenacodontia

Pantelosaurus

  • Europe
  • North America

The Sphenacodontia are a group of Pelycosaurier, ie to the synapsids amniotes include ( Synapsida ).

They were the dominant carnivorous land vertebrates in the Lower Permian. Biological evolution is significant that from them emerged therapsides the ancestors of mammals ( Mammalia). The best known and most studied best Sphenacodont is more than three meters long Dimetrodon. He stands out for its spectacular sailing back, wearing some other members of the Sphenacodonten.

Features

Like all Pelycosauria had the Sphenacodonten a lizard- like, elongated shape with a long tail and short legs, which desisted side of the body. Your massive skull was tall and narrow. The large mouth had a differentiated carnivore teeth with partially extended front teeth in the upper and lower jaw and an elongated canine in the upper jaw. The teeth of the upper jaw were sitting in deep tooth sockets, with all other synapsids the alveoli are flat. The TMJ was significantly below the level of the tooth rows.

The spinous processes of the dorsal and cervical spine were extended and contributed Ctenospondylus, Secodontosaurus Dimetrodon and the large sail, which was likely to be useful in thermoregulation, but it could also have served the communication between conspecifics.

System

  • Sphenacodontia Bathygnathus
  • Macrornerion
  • Milosaurus
  • Haptodus
  • Palaeohatteria
  • Pantelosaurus
  • Cutleria
  • Sphenacodontoidea Sphenacodontidae Ctenorhachis
  • Cryptovenator
  • Sphenacodontinae Neosaurus
  • Sphenacodon
  • Ctenospondylus
  • Secodontosaurus
  • Steppesaurus
  • Dimetrodon
  • Mammals ( Mammalia)
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