| Brithopus Temporal range: Middle Permian, Ufimian | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | † Dinocephalia |
| Family: | † Brithopodidae |
| Genus: | † Brithopus Kutorga, 1838 |
| Species: | †B. priscus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Brithopus priscus Kutorga, 1838 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Brithopus is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids. It contains a single species, Brithopus priscus, known from fragmentary remains found in the Copper Sandstones near Isheevo, Russia.
Brithopus was fairly large, reaching a length of 2.5–3 m (8–10 ft). [1] The skull was similar to Titanophoneus , but more massive and heavily built. [2]
B. priscus was first named in 1838 and was traditionally classified in the Anteosauria, a group of carnivorous dinocephalians. Brithopus served as the basis for the family Brithopodidae, which once included many anteosaurian species. Because it is based on fragmentary material, Brithopus is regarded as a nomen dubium by some researchers. Brithopus was later considered a possible estemmenosuchid, [3] a type of herbivorous tapinocephalian therapsid. [4]
Dinosaurus and Eurosaurus have both been considered synonyms of Brithopus. [5]
Rhopalodon Murchison, a junior synonym of Brithopus Priscus, was described in 1845 by Johann Fischer von Waldheim, first as a species of Rhopalodon , but later assigned to its own genus, Dinosaurus, by Fischer in 1847. [6] In 1894, Harry Govier Seeley referred a femur to the genus "Dinosaurus", though this has since been found to belong to Phreatosuchus qualeni .
The name "Dinosaurus" was later used by Ludwig Rütimeyer (1856) for a new specimen of a prosauropod dinosaur, which he named "Dinosaurus grossly". However, the name was not attached to any formal description and so was an invalid nomen nudum . The prosauropod was formally named Gresslyosaurus ingens, and is now considered a junior synonym of Plateosaurus .
Therapsida is a major group of eupelycosaurian synapsids that includes mammals and their ancestors. Many of the traits today seen as unique to mammals had their origin within early therapsids, including limbs that were oriented more underneath the body, as opposed to the sprawling posture of many reptiles and salamanders. The earliest fossil attributed to Therapsida used to be Tetraceratops insignis from the Lower Permian. However in 2020, a new study has found that Tetraceratops is not actually a true Therapsid, but should be considered to be a member of the more ancient Sphenacodontia from which the therapsids evolved.
Dinocephalia is a clade of large-bodied early therapsids that flourished for a brief time in the Middle Permian between 270 and 260 million years ago (Ma), but became extinct, leaving no descendants. Dinocephalians included herbivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous forms. Many species had thickened skulls with many knobs and bony projections. Dinocephalians were the first non-mammalian therapsids to be scientifically described and their fossils are known from Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.
Cistecephalus is an extinct genus of dicynodont therapsid from the Late Permian of southern Africa. It was a small, specialised, burrowing dicynodont, possibly with habits similar to a modern mole. The head was flattened and wedge-shaped, the body long, and the forelimbs very strong, with similarities in structure to the forelimb of modern burrowing mammals.
Gresslyosaurus is a genus of plateosaurian sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 214 to 204 million years ago, in Switzerland.
Biarmosuchia is an extinct clade of non-mammalian synapsids from the Permian. Biarmosuchians are the most basal group of the therapsids. They were moderately-sized, lightly-built carnivores, intermediate in form between basal sphenacodont "pelycosaurs" and more advanced therapsids. Biarmosuchians were rare components of Permian ecosystems, and the majority of species belong to the clade Burnetiamorpha, which are characterized by elaborate cranial ornamentation.
Titanophoneus is an extinct genus of carnivorous dinocephalian therapsid from the Middle Permian. It is classified within the family Anteosauridae. The type species is Titanophoneus potens. Remains of Titanophoneus have been found at Isheevo in Russia.
Anteosaurs are a group of large, primitive carnivorous dinocephalian therapsids with large canines and incisors and short limbs, that are known from the Middle Permian of South Africa, Russia, China, and Brazil. Some grew very large, with skulls 50–80 centimetres (20–31 in) long, and were the largest predators of their time. They died out at the end of the Middle Permian, possibly as a result of the extinction of the herbivorous Tapinocephalia on which they may have fed.
Anteosauridae is an extinct family of large carnivorous dinocephalian therapsids that are known from the Middle Permian of Asia, Africa, and South America.These animals were by far the largest predators of the Permian period, with skulls reaching 80 cm in length in adult individuals, far larger than the biggest gorgonopsian.
Estemmenosuchidae is an extinct family of large, very early herbivorous therapsids that flourished during the Guadalupian period. They are distinguished by horn-like structures, probably for display or agonistic behavior. Apart from the best known genus, Estemmenosuchus, the group is poorly known. To date, their fossils are known only from the Perm region of Russia.
Anteosaurus is an extinct genus of large carnivorous synapsids. It lived during the Capitanian age of the Guadalupian epoch in what is now South Africa. Like the well-known Moschops, they were dinocephalians, a clade of large-bodied therapsids that flourished from 270 to 260 million years ago and then went extinct without descendants.
Archaeosyodon is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids. It was medium-sized, reaching about 1.5–2 m (4–5 ft) in length.
Australosyodon is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids from the middle Permian of South Africa. The first fossil was discovered in the 1980s near the village of Prince Albert Road in the Karoo region of South Africa.
Syodon is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids that lived approximately 267-260 million years ago during the middle Permian period of the Paleozoic era. These therapsids, located in Russia were initially believed to be true mammals. Syodon was first named by Stephan Kutorga in 1838. The fossils of these synapsids were first discovered in the Molotov Province region of Russia in limestone beds with a high content of copper. However, scientists believe that these organisms likely come from higher rock beds due to increased specializations in their morphology.
Admetophoneus is a dubious genus of non-mammalian synapsid from Russia. Its type and only species is Admetophoneus kargalensis.
Notosyodon is an extinct genus of non-mammalian therapsids. The holotype PIN 2505/1, consists of a partial skull preserving the orbital, occipital, and basicranial regions. Other remains include PIN 2505/2, a right lower incisor, and PIN 2505/3, a left upper postcanine, found associated with the holotype and PIN 2608/1, the anterior half of a left dentary found on the right bank of the Donguz River, near Dolmatovskii Farm, Sol-Iletsk District, Orenburg Region, Russia.
The Xidagou Formation is a Middle Permian-age geologic formation in the Qilian Mountains of Gansu, China.
Syodontinae is a group of dinocephalian therapsids. It is one of two subfamilies in the family Anteosauridae, the other being Anteosaurinae. They are known from the Middle Permian Period of what is now Russia and South Africa. One of the best known syodontines is Syodon from Russia. The South African form Australosyodon, is one of the earliest known Gondwanan anteosaurs.
Anteosaurinae is an extinct subfamily of dinocephalian therapsids. It is one of two subfamilies in the family Anteosauridae, the other being Syodontinae.
Sinophoneus is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids in the family Anteosauridae. A single fossilized skull has been found from the Middle Permian Xidagou Formation of China.
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