Cotylorhynchus

Cotylorhynchus
	Skeleton of Cotylorhynchus romeri
Temporal occurrence
	Kungurium ( Unterperm )
	279.3 to 272.3 million years
Locations
	Texas; Oklahoma;
Systematics
	Land vertebrates (Tetrapoda)
	Amniotes (Amniota)
	Synapsids (Synapsida)
	Caseasauria
	Caseidae
	Cotylorhynchus
Scientific name
	Cotylorhynchus
	Stovall , 1937
species
	C. bransoni; C. hancocki; C. romeri;

Cotylorhynchus is a genus of the Caseidae . It lived in the Unterperm in North America ( Texas , Oklahoma ) at the same time as many other synapsids , including Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus . Three species are known: C. bransoni , C. hancocki and C. romeri , the latter being the type species, i.e. the species described first . Different parts of the skeleton of C. Romeri were in Cleveland County in the US found -Bundesstaat Oklahoma. Cotylorhynchus was first described by J. Willis Stovall .

description

Size comparison between a human and cotylorhynchus

Live reconstruction of Cotylorhynchus romeri

The length of Cotylorhynchus varies between 3 and 6 meters depending on the source. The weight is estimated at 2 tons. The body is reminiscent of a barrel. The skull was small. The blunt, iguana-like teeth indicate a herbivore, i.e. herbivorous diet. Cotylorhynchus had relatively large claws compared to other Caseidae. Further features are the massive scapulocoracoid , part of the shoulder girdle , the large end of the humerus (upper arm bone), the thick forearm bones , and the broad, robust hand. The construction of the hands suggests that Cotylorhynchus was able to dig, presumably to dig up roots from the ground.

Systematics

Cotylorhynchus was a derivative of the Caseidae . The sister taxon is Angelosaurus . Another close relative was Ennatosaurus . The Caseidae form the sister taxon of the Eothyrididae , whose only genera are Eothyris and Oedaleops ; both families are grouped together as Caseasauria . This is followed by a cladogram according to Maddin et al. (2008):