Moschops capensis

This common tapinocephalid from South Africa has a thick skull as a probable adaptation for intraspecific head-butting between competing males. It is unclear how many species of Moschops there are besides M. capensis. M. koupensis from the same strata might be a sexual morph and M. whaitsi is dubious.

Name

Moschops capensis

Authority

Broom, 1911

Meaning of generic name

Calf face

Size

Skull length: 40 cm ,Length: 2.5-3 m

Remains

Several skulls and postcranial elements

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Lower Tapinocephalus assemblage zone, Lower Beaufort beds, Middle Permian (Earliest Capitanian).

Type locality: Beaufort West, Karoo basin, South Africa.

Classification

Synapsida Therapsida Dinocephalia Tapinocephalia Tapinocephalidae

Further Reading

Owen, R., 1876. Evidences of Theriodonts in Permian Deposits elsewhere than in South Africa: Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 32, p. 352-363.

Synonyms

Pnigalion oweni Watson, 1914; Moschops oweni (Watson, 1914); Moschoides romeri Byrne, 1937; Moschops romeri (Byrne,1937); Agnosaurus pienaari Boonstra, 1952; Moschops pienaari (Boonstra, 1952)

Images by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Moscops capensis, version a:

version b: