Tapinocaninus

Tapinocaninus is an extinct genus of therapsids in the family Tapinocephalidae, in which it is the most basal member. Only one species is known, Tapinocaninus pamelae (meaning "Pam's humble canine").Living during the Middle Permian (Wordian age).

Tapinocaninus
Temporal range: Wordian
↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Therapsida
Suborder: †Dinocephalia
Family: †Tapinocephalidae
Subfamily: †Tapinocanininae
Genus: †Tapinocaninus
Rubidge, 1991
Species:
†T. pamelae
Binomial name
†Tapinocaninus pamelae
Rubidge, 1991

Description

It grew up to 3 metres (120 in) long, and massed up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb). It is assumed to be either a herbivore or an omnivore. This dinocephalian has a heterodont dentition, consisting of incisors, canines and postcanines. It's canine teeth lack a definite crushing heel. The maxillary and premaxillary dentition is only partially preserved.

The species is named in honour of Rubidge's mother.[1]

Discovery

Fossils have been found in the Eodicynodon Assemblage Zone of the Karoo deposits, in the Lower Beaufort Beds in Beaufort West, by the director of the BPI, Professor Bruce Rubidge.Four specimen are known. A holotype (NMQR 2987) and three paratypes (NMQR 2985, 2986 and ROZ K95). All of them are known from skull and mandible bones.[2]

References
  1. Rubidge, B.S. (1991). "A new primitive dinocephalian mammal-like reptile from the Permian of southern Africa". Palaeontology. 34: 547–559.
  2. Rubidge, 1991, "A new primitive dinocephalian mammal-like reptile from the Permian of southern Africa" Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine


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