Sauropareion anoplus

This procolophonid from South Africa differs from the others by the absence of the prominent cheek bones that characterize many members of the group.

Name

Sauropareion anoplus

Authority

Modesto, Sues and Damiani, 2001

Meaning of generic name

Greek words sauros and pareion, meaning 'lizard' and 'cheek'

Size

Skull length: 35 mm, Length: 30 cm

Remains

Holotype (SAM-PK-11192): Partial skull with mandible, cervical vertebrae, and few other bones.

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Palingkloof Member of the Balfour Formation, Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Beaufort Group, lowermost Triassic of South Africa.

Locality: Barendskraal farm, Middelburg District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Classification

Anapsida Procolomorpha Procolophonoidea Owenettidae

Further Reading

S. P. Modesto, H.-D. Sues, and R. Damiani. 2001. A new Triassic procolophonoid reptile and its implications for procolophonoid survivorship during the Permo-Triassic extinction event. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 268:2047-2052.

Modesto, S. P. and Damiani, R. 2007. The procolophonoid reptile Sauropareion anoplus from the lowermost Triassic of South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(2):337-349.