Acleistorhinus Temporal range: Early Permian,
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Illustration of Acleistorhinus skull | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | †Parareptilia |
Order: | †Procolophonomorpha |
Family: | †Acleistorhinidae |
Genus: | †Acleistorhinus Daly, 1969 |
Type species | |
†Acleistorhinus pteroticus Daly, 1969
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Acleistorhinus (ah-kles-toe-RYE-nuss) is an extinct genus of parareptile known from the Early Permian (middle Kungurian stage) of Oklahoma.[1] It is notable for being the earliest known anapsid reptile yet discovered. The morphology of the lower temporal fenestra of the skull of Acleistorhinus bears a superficial resemblance to that seen in early synapsids, a result of convergent evolution. Only a single species, A. pteroticus, is known, and it is classified in the Family Acleistorhinidae, along with Colobomycter (also from the Early Permian of Oklahoma).