Robertia

For other uses, see Robertia (disambiguation).

Robertia
Temporal range: Middle Permian-Late Permian, 265–260 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Suborder: †Anomodontia
Clade: †Dicynodontia
Family: †Pylaecephalidae
Genus: †Robertia
Boonstra, 1948
Type species
†R. broomiana
Boonstra, 1948
Synonyms

†Dicynodon schroederi Toerien, 1953
†Broilius antjiesfonteinensis Toerien, 1953[1]

Robertia is an extinct genus of small herbivorous dicynodonts from the Middle to Late Permian of South Africa, between 260 and 265 million years ago.[1] It is a monospecific genus,[1] consisting of the type-species R. broomiana, which was classified by Lieuwe Dirk Boonstra in 1948 and named in honor of Robert Broom for his study of South African mammal-like reptiles.[2]

Robertia had characteristic caniniform tusks and few, small teeth on the maxillary and dentary table.[3] Its beak and the propalinal movement of the jaw, as with other dicynodonts, allowed for efficient cutting of plant matter.[1] The solid, barrel-bodied creatures had a sprawling stance with a flexible backbone, which likely gave them a lizard-like appearance as they moved.[4] They were about 15 cm in length.[4]

Robertia is a member of the family Pylaecephalidae, which includes other small dicynodont therapsids with tusks such as Diictodon, Prosictodon, and Eosimops.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d King, Gillian M. (1993). "Species longevity and generic diversity in dicynodont mammal-like reptiles". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 102 (3–4): 321–332. Bibcode:1993PPP...102..321K. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(93)90074-s. ISSN 0031-0182.
  2. ^ "Untitled Document". www.paleofile.com. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  3. ^ King, G (1993). "A taxonomic revision of small dicynodonts with postcanine teeth". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 107 (2): 131–154. doi:10.1006/zjls.1993.1009. ISSN 0024-4082.
  4. ^ a b King, G. (1981). The postcranial skeleton of Robertia broomiana, an early dicynodont (Reptilia, therapsida) from the South African karoo. Annals of the South African Museum 84: 203-231.
  5. ^ Kammerer, Christian F.; Angielczyk, Kenneth D.; Fröbisch, Jörg (2011-12-14). "A comprehensive taxonomic revision ofDicynodon(Therapsida, Anomodontia) and its implications for dicynodont phylogeny, biogeography, and biostratigraphy". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (sup1): 1–158. Bibcode:2011JVPal..31S...1K. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.627074. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 84987497.