Lycaenops

Lycaenops
	Artistic living reconstruction of Lycaenops
Temporal occurrence
	Capitanium to Wuchiapingium; (middle to upper perm )
	265.1 to 254.2 million years
Locations
	South Africa;
Systematics
	Amniotes (Amniota)
	Synapsids (Synapsida)
	Therapsids (Therapsida)
	Theriodontia
	Gorgonopsia
	Lycaenops
Scientific name
	Lycaenops
	Broom , 1925

Lycaenops ("wolf face") is a carnivorous Therapside from the group of Gorgonopsiden . The genus lived in the Middle and Upper Permian ( Capitanium to Wuchiapingium ). The Gorgonopsiden belong to the Theriodontia , ancestors of the mammals.

The doctor and archaeologist Robert Broom found the first fossil remains of this genus in the formations of the Karoo (at the time of discovery and still Karru in the Great Atlas of Prehistory ) . Since then, many other fossil discoveries have been made, attributed to a total of four to six Lycaenops species.

anatomy

Skull of Lycaenops

Lycaenops had a skeleton typical of Gorgonopsids with a head that was quite large in relation to the body (up to 30 cm long) and two long, strong canine teeth that had grown into fangs, as well as an outwardly curved snout, both characteristic features. Also possessed lycaenops five large incisors , four of which are located in the incisive bone are. The canines are serrated and, along with the incisors, were likely used to grab and kill the prey. Due to the sawed sharp teeth, it is believed that Lycaenops tore large pieces of meat from the prey and swallowed them whole. The skull is described as elongated and thin, but still relatively deep. In addition, the skull is described as slightly crooked and the scale leg is not very well connected to the square leg . Known material includes parts of the postcranium and the skull, which is relatively well preserved in L. ornatus .

Systematics

External system

Lycaenops is a gorgonopsid that is one of the easiest to recognize as such. The classification of Lycaenops as a member of the Gorgonopsidae is confirmed by Carroll (1988). The animal has a lot in common with Aelurognathus and Prorubidgea , but is somewhat more basal, in general Lycaenops was a relatively basal genus. These genera are sometimes classified in their own subfamily ("Rubidgeinae").

Internal system

The following Lycaenops species have been described:

L. ornatus , known by the holotype AMNH 2240, which was described by Broom (1925). Another description followed by Colbert (1948)
Assigned copies: BPI 260, RC 147, RC 148 and BPI 334
L. angusticeps , holotype (AMNH 5537) described by Broom (1913).
Assigned copies: AMNH 5535
L. quadrata , holotype (SAM 7856) described by Haughton (1927).
Associated copies: BPI 390, BPI 389, BPI (FN) 3303
L. attenuatus , holotype (BPI 259) described by Brink, AS and Kitching, JW (1953).
L. sollasi ?, Holotype (MS 1934 VIII 29) described by Broili and Schröder (1935).
Assigned copies: RC 61, BPI 262, RC 119, BPI 264, BPI 281
L. microdon ?, Holotype (SAM 9344) described by Boonstra (1934), classified as Lycaenops species by Sigogneau (1970).

Web links

Commons : Lycaenops - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wanted poster: Lycaenops. Neiderhell Primeval World Museum

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Michel Laurin: New data on the cranial anatomy of Lycaenops (Synapsida, Gorgonopsidae), and reflections on the possible presence of streptostyly in Gorgonopsians . 1998
↑ ^a ^b ^c EH Colbert: The mammal-like reptile Lycaenops . In: Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. , 89, 1948, pp. 357–404, amnh.org (PDF)
↑ ^a ^b ^c R. Broom: On some carnivorous therapsids. Rec. Albany Mus., 3, 1925, pp. 309-326.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ EVI Gebauer: Phylogeny and evolution of the Gorgonopsia with a special reference to the skull and skeleton of GPIT / RE / 7113 ('Aelurognathus?' Parringtoni) . Ph.D. thesis, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen 2007, pp. 1–316, uni-tuebingen.de (PDF)
^ R. Broom: The mammal-like reptiles of South Africa and the origin of mammals. HF & G. Witherby, London 1932, XVII + 376 pp.
^ RL Carroll: Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. 1988.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e D. Sigogneau: Révision systématique des gorgonopsiens sud-africains. In: Cah. Paléont. , Paris 1970, XII + 414 pp.
^ AS Brink, JW Kitching: Studies on new specimens of the Gorgonopsia. In: Pal. Africana , 1, 1953, pp. 1-28
^ ^A ^b SH Haughton: On Karroo vertebrates from Nyasaland. In: Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Afr. , 29, 1927, pp. 69-83

[coria_95-1] Michel Laurin: New data on the cranial anatomy of Lycaenops (Synapsida, Gorgonopsidae), and reflections on the possible presence of streptostyly in Gorgonopsians . 1998

[colbert-2] EH Colbert: The mammal-like reptile Lycaenops . In: Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. , 89, 1948, pp. 357–404, amnh.org (PDF)

[broom-3] R. Broom: On some carnivorous therapsids. Rec. Albany Mus., 3, 1925, pp. 309-326.

[gebauer-4] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ EVI Gebauer: Phylogeny and evolution of the Gorgonopsia with a special reference to the skull and skeleton of GPIT / RE / 7113 ('Aelurognathus?' Parringtoni) . Ph.D. thesis, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen 2007, pp. 1–316, uni-tuebingen.de (PDF)

[r-5] R. Broom: The mammal-like reptiles of South Africa and the origin of mammals. HF & G. Witherby, London 1932, XVII + 376 pp.

[cas-6] RL Carroll: Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. 1988.

[sig-7] D. Sigogneau: Révision systématique des gorgonopsiens sud-africains. In: Cah. Paléont. , Paris 1970, XII + 414 pp.

[brink-8] AS Brink, JW Kitching: Studies on new specimens of the Gorgonopsia. In: Pal. Africana , 1, 1953, pp. 1-28

[dd-9] A ^b SH Haughton: On Karroo vertebrates from Nyasaland. In: Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Afr. , 29, 1927, pp. 69-83