Progalesaurus

Progalesaurus
Temporal range: Induan
~252.17–251.2 Ma
Progalesaurus dentary in right lateral view
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Clade: Cynodontia
Family: Galesauridae
Genus: Progalesaurus
Sidor & Smith, 2004
Type species
Progalesaurus lootbergensis
Sidor & Smith, 2004

Progalesaurus is an extinct genus of galesaurid cynodont from the early Triassic. Progalesaurus is known from a single fossil of the species Progalesaurus lootsbergensis, found in the Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Balfour Formation. Close relatives of Progalesaurus, other galesaurids, include Galesaurus and Cynosaurus. Galesaurids appeared just before the Permian-Triassic extinction event, and disappeared from the fossil record in the Middle-Triassic.

The name “Progalesaurus” is derived from Greek, “pro” meaning before, “gale” meaning weasel or cat, and “saurus” meaning lizard or reptile (Sidor and Smith). The name refers to the relationship Progalesaurus has to the more derived Galesaurus.[1]

  1. ^ Sidor, Christian A.; Smith, Roger M. H. (May 2004). "A new galesaurid (Therapsida: Cynodontia) from the Lower Triassic of South Africa". Palaeontology. 47 (3): 535–556. doi:10.1111/j.0031-0239.2004.00378.x. ISSN 0031-0239.