Aulacephalodon

Aulacephalodon
Temporal range: Late Permian Late Permian
Skeleton of A. peavoti in the Field Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Suborder: †Anomodontia
Clade: †Dicynodontia
Family: †Geikiidae
Genus: †Aulacephalodon
Seeley, 1898
Type species
Aulacephalodon bainii
Seeley, 1898 (type)
Species
  • †A. bainii Seeley, 1898
  • †?A. peavoti Broom, 1921
Synonyms
  • †Dicynodon bainii Owen, 1844
  • †Dicynodon tigriceps Owen, 1844
  • †Dicynodon laticeps Broom, 1912
  • †Bainia peavoti Broom, 1921
  • †Bainia haughtoni Broom, 1921
  • †A. latissimus Broom, 1932
  • †A. nesamanni Broom, 1936
  • †A. nodosus Van Hoepen, 1934
  • †A. luckhoffi Broom, 1937
  • †A. hartzenbergi Broom, 1937
  • †A. coatoni Broom, 1941
  • †A. brodiei Broom, 1941
  • †A. cadlei Broom, 1948
  • †A. pricei Broom and George, 1950
  • †A. vanderhorsti Broom and George, 1950

Aulacephalodon ("furrow-head tooth") is an extinct genus of medium-sized dicynodonts, or non-mammalian synapsids, that lived during late Permian period. Individuals of Aulacephalodon are commonly found in the Lower Beaufort Group of the Karoo Supergroup of South Africa. Rising to dominance during the Late Permian, Aulacephalodon was among the largest terrestrial vertebrate herbivores until its extinction at the end of the Permian.[1] Two species have been named, the type species, A. bainii, and a second species, A. peavoti. However, debate exists among paleontologists if A. peavoti is a true member of the genus Aulacephalodon.[1] Aulacephalodon belongs to the family Geikiidae, a family of dicynodonts generally characterized by their short, broad skulls and large nasal bosses.[2] Sexual dimorphism has been identified in A. bainii.[3]

  1. ^ a b Govender, R. (2008). "Description of the postcranial anatomy of Aulacephalodon baini and its possible relationship with "Aulacephalodon peavoti"" (PDF). South African Journal of Science. 104 (11–12): 479–486. doi:10.1590/s0038-23532008000600023. ISSN 0038-2353.
  2. ^ Kammerer, Christian F., and Kenneth D. Angielczyk. "A proposed higher taxonomy of anomodont therapsids." Zootaxa 2018 (2009): 1-24.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).