Styracocephalus

Styracocephalus, artistic live presentation

South Africa ( Karoo main pool)

Styracocephalus platyrhynchus

Styracocephalus is an extinct genus of primitive therapsids ( the so-called " mammal -like reptiles " ) from the group of Dinocephalia. The only known way Styracocephalus platyrhynchus, lived as a four-legged herbivores ( plant eaters ) in the Middle Permian million years ago, about 265-260 in South Africa today. The name Styracocephalus comes from the Greek and means barbed head.

Features

Like its close relative Tapinocephalus, Styracocephalus had a thickened skull. Maybe he played so fights with other dogs. He had a length of about two meters and weighing about one ton. Analysis of the fragments found so far could indicate that Styracocephalus should be classified within the Dinocephalia a family, the Styracocephalidae.

Styracocephalus considered to be particularly primitive representatives of Tapinocephalia.

Discovery

Was discovered in a poorly preserved skull for the first time in 1929 by Sidney Henry Haughton.