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.