Tapinocephalus

Tapinocephalus
	Tapinocephalus
Temporal occurrence
	Middle Permian ( Capitanium )
	265.8 to 260.4 million years
Locations
	South Africa ( Karoo Supergroup );
Systematics
	Therapsids (Therapsida)
	Eutherapsida
	Dinocephalia
	Titanosuchia or Tapinocephalia
	Tapinocephalidae
	Tapinocephalus
Scientific name
	Tapinocephalus
	Owen , 1876
Art
	Tapinocephalus atherstonei Owen , 1876 ;

Tapinocephalus is an extinct genus of early therapsids ("early mammalian relatives") from Central Perm of South Africa . The fossils of the herbivore, which can be up to 3 meters long, come from the Beaufort group of the Karoo main basin . The only valid species T. atherstonei was in 1876 by the British paleontologist Richard Owen first described . Tapinocephalus is one of the earliest therapsid finds worldwide.

features

Shoulder girdle and foreleg of T. atherstonei

With a length of three meters and a weight of about two tons, Tapinocephalus was one of the largest animals in its ecosystem . Tapinocephalus had a thickened, up to 45 centimeter long skull, with which the males probably fought for females or territory. The body was powerfully built and ended in a short tail. As in all early Dinocephalians, the legs were spread outwards (splayed gait).

discovery

Tapinocephalus is known from some skull finds as well as from post- cranial elements. Due to the numerous finds, the genus gave its name to the so-called Tapinocephalus assemblage zone, which is the second lowest rock bank of the Beaufort group . The family of Tapinocephalidae is also according to the species tapinocephalus named.

Way of life

The Tapinocephalus presumably lived in herds. It is believed that it lived near water and may even spend a lot of time in the water.

Individual evidence

^ Owen, R., 1876. Evidences of Theriodonts in Permian Deposits elsewhere than in South Africa: Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 32, p. 352-363.
^ Tapinocephalus

swell

Web links

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

[1] Owen, R., 1876. Evidences of Theriodonts in Permian Deposits elsewhere than in South Africa: Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 32, p. 352-363.

[2] Tapinocephalus