A new large gomphodont from the Triassic of South Africa and its implications for Gondwanan biostratigraphy
A partial skull (BP/1/7976) of a very large cynodont from the Middle Triassic Cynognathus Assemblage Zone ( Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone) of South Africa is described. The specimen represents a new gomphodont taxon, Impidens hancoxi , gen. et sp. nov., diagnosed by five sectorial teeth constituting...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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Format: | Dataset |
Language: | unknown |
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Taylor & Francis
2021
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Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.15052540 https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/dataset/A_new_large_gomphodont_from_the_Triassic_of_South_Africa_and_its_implications_for_Gondwanan_biostratigraphy/15052540 |
Summary: | A partial skull (BP/1/7976) of a very large cynodont from the Middle Triassic Cynognathus Assemblage Zone ( Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone) of South Africa is described. The specimen represents a new gomphodont taxon, Impidens hancoxi , gen. et sp. nov., diagnosed by five sectorial teeth constituting just over half of the length of the upper postcanine tooth row, and enlarged canine and incisor teeth. BP/1/8123, a skull fragment also from the Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone, and AMNH FARB 24421, a partial skull from the upper Fremouw Formation of Antarctica, are also referred to the new species. The presence of this taxon in both the upper Fremouw Formation and Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone strengthens evidence of biostratigraphic correlation between these units. Impidens hancoxi , with an inferred skull length of up to 460 mm, was a large-bodied and likely omnivorous gomphodont, and may have played the role of apex predator within the tetrapod fauna of the Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone. |
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