Ictidodraco

Ictidodraco is an extinct genus of therocephalian therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa. The type species Ictidodraco longiceps was named by South African paleontologists Robert Broom and John T. Robinson in 1948 from the Cistecephalus Assemblage Zone.[1] Ictidodraco was once classified as a scaloposaurian in the family Silpholestidae.[2] Scaloposauria and Silpholestidae are no longer regarded as valid groups, and Ictidodraco is now classified as a basal member of the clade Baurioidea.[3]

Ictidodraco
Temporal range: Late Permian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Therapsida
Suborder: †Therocephalia
Superfamily: †Baurioidea
Genus: †Ictidodraco
Broom and Robinson, 1948
Type species
†Ictidodraco longiceps
Broom and Robinson, 1948

Description

Ictidodraco is a small therocephalian with a long, pointed snout. It has large orbits or eye sockets that are enclosed by complete postorbital bars at the back margin of the sockets. The temporal openings behind the orbits are relatively small. At the top of the skull, between the two temporal openings, the parietal region is wide. Unlike those of other therocephalians, the parietal does not form a distinctive sagittal crest.

As in other advanced therocephalians Ictidodraco has a small secondary palate. A secondary palate is a derived feature that gives advanced therocephalians a very mammal-like appearance, although it developed independently in the group as a result of convergence.[4]

References
  1. Broom, R.; Robinson, J.T. (1948). "On some small carnivorous mammal-like reptiles". Special Publications of the Royal Society of South Africa. 39: 29–44.
  2. Watson, D.M.S.; Romer, A.S. (1956). "A classification of therapsid reptiles". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 114 (2): 37–89.
  3. Abdala, F.; Rubidge, B. S.; Heever, J. A. van den (2008). "The oldest therocephalians (Therapsida, Eutheriodontia) and the early diversification of Therapsida". Palaeontology. 51 (4): 1011–1024. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00784.x.
  4. "Ictidodraco". Age of Mammals. 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
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