Vetusodon

Vetusodon
Temporal range: Changhsingian,
~253–252 Ma
Life Restoration
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Clade: Cynodontia
Clade: Epicynodontia
Genus: Vetusodon
Abdala et al., 2019
Species:
V. elikhulu
Binomial name
Vetusodon elikhulu
Abdala et al., 2019

Vetusodon is an extinct genus of cynodonts belonging to the clade Epicynodontia. It contains one species, Vetusodon elikhulu, which is known from four specimens found in the Late Permian Daptocephalus Assemblage Zone of South Africa. With a skull length of about 18 centimetres (7.1 in), Vetusodon is the largest known cynodont from the Permian. Through convergent evolution, it possessed several unusual features reminiscent of the contemporary therocephalian Moschorhinus, including broad, robust jaws, large incisors and canines, and small, single-cusped postcanine teeth.[1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Abdala2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).