Friday 22 November 2013

Anomocephalus africanus

This small therapsid from South Africa is the most primitive anomodont known. The jaws was equipped with peg-like teeth.

Name
Anomocephalus africanus
Authority
Modesto, Rubidge and Welman, 1999
Meaning of generic name
From the Greek words anomos and cephalos, meaning `lawless' and `head', respectively.
Size
Skull length: 21 cm ,Length: ?1.2 m
Remains
Holotype (BP/1/5582): partial right side of the skull and some poorly preserved postcranial elements
Age and Distribution
Horizon: Tapinocephalus Assemblage zone, base of the Beaufort Group, Middle Permian (Capitanian?)

Type locality: near Williston, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Classification
Synapsida Therapsida Anomonodontia
Further Reading
Modesto, S., Rubidge, B., and Welman, J., 1999. The most basal anomodont therapsid and the primacy of Gondwana in the evolution of the anomodonts: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, series B, v. 266, p. 331-337.

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