Bienotherium

Bienotherium Temporal range: Hettangian–Sinemurian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Bienotherium yuannanese
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Clade:	Therapsida
Clade:	Cynodontia
Family:	† Tritylodontidae
Genus:	† Bienotherium Young, 1940 [1]
Species
B. yuannanese(type) Young, 1940 [1] B. magnum [2]
Synonyms
B. elegans (B. yuannanese) [2]

Bienotherium is an extinct genus of cynodonts from the Early Jurassic of China discovered by Bian Meinian (Mei Nien Bien). ^[2] Despite its size, it is closely related to Lufengia , and is the largest tritylodont from the Lufeng Formation in China. ^[3]

Bienotherium had four incisors, no canines, and back molar-like teeth, which it used to chew tough plant material. ^[4]

Description

Life restoration

Bienotherium is defined as being big and robust compared to other tritylodonts, and also by exposed maxillaries in the skull, an unusually long diastema and thin zygomatic bone. ^[3]

References

1. "The Paleobiology Database". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
2. "Palæos Vertebrates". Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
3. Lucas, Spencer G. (2001). Chinese Fossil Vertebrates. New York City, Chichester, West Sussex: Columbia University Press. p. 133. ISBN   0-231-08482-X . Retrieved May 24, 2010.
4. Blount, Kitty; Crowley, Maggie; Bada, Kathleen; Malyan, Susan; Sparrow, Giles; Thiro, Rosalyn; Walisiewicz, Marek, eds. (2008) [2001]. Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life. New York City: DK Publishing Special Markets. p. 203. ISBN   978-0-7566-3836-8.

Further reading

• Paleontology portal

Chinese Fossil Vertebrates, p. 133