Cistecephalidae

Cistecephalidae
Temporal range: Late Permian
Reconstruction of Cistecephalus microrhinus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Suborder: †Anomodontia
Clade: †Dicynodontia
Clade: †Kistecephalia
Family: †Cistecephalidae
Broom, 1913
Genera

Cistecephalidae is an extinct family of dicynodont therapsids from the Late Permian of South Africa, India and Zambia. It includes the genera Cistecephalus, Cistecephaloides, and Kawingasaurus.[1] Cistecephalids are thought to have had a fossorial or burrowing lifestyle, with adaptations such as broad skulls, strong forelimbs, and squat bodies. A similar group of dicynodonts called the pylaecephalids were also fossorial, although to a lesser extent than cistecephalids.[2] Cistecephalids showed a high level of endemism, with each of the five known species unique to a single region.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference KA09 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference RC03 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference sauroscaptor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).