Arctops willistoni

This is rather shadowy genus known from three skulls which might or might not belong to the same species, A. willistoni (?=A. watsoni) . Three additional but rather dubious species were also assigned to the genus: ?A. ferox, ?A. kitchingi, ?A. minor. It is quite possible that Arctops represent the adult form of the genus Scylacognathus and would therefore be a synonym of the latter (Gebauer, 2007).

Name

Arctops willistoni

Authority

Watson, 1914

Meaning of generic name

Bear face

Size

Skull length: 30 cm ,Length: 2 m?

Remains

Holotype (BMNH 4099): badly preserved partial skull

Referred specimens: BPI 263 (Holotype of Arctops watsoni, a well preserved skull), BPI 395 (skull, A. cf watsoni)

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Cistecephalus assemblage zone, Beaufort group, Upper Permian (Wuchiapingian). The holotype BMNH 4099 is described from being from the Tapinocephalus zone, but this might be a mistake as its exact provenance is unknown.

Type locality: Karoo basin, South Africa.

Classification

Synapsida Therapsida Gorgonopsia Gorgonopsidae

Further Reading

Watson, D. M. S., 1914. Notes on some Carnivorous Therapsids: Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1914, p. 1021-1033.

Brink, A. S., and Kitching, J. W., 1953. Studies on new specimens of Gorgonopsia: Palaeontographica africana, v. 1, p. 1-28.

Sigogneau, D., 1970. Revision Systematique des Gorgonopsiens Sud-Africains: Cahiers de Paleontologie, 414pp.

Gebauer E., 2007. Phylogeny and Evolution of the Gorgonopsia with a Special Reference to the Skull and Skeleton of GPIT/RE/7113, doctoral dissertation.

Synonyms

Arctops watsoni Brink & Kitching, 1953

[Possibly Scylognathus]