| Neotrirachodon Temporal range: Anisian ~ | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Clade: | † Therocephalia |
| Superfamily: | † Baurioidea |
| Family: | † Bauriidae (?) |
| Genus: | † Neotrirachodon Tatarinov, 2002 |
| Species: | †N. expectatus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Neotrirachodon expectatus Tatarinov, 2002 [1] | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Neotrirachodon is an extinct genus of therapsids which existed in Russia during the Middle Triassic period. Its type and only species is Neotrirachodon expectatus. [3]
It is known from a jaw fossil consisting of the left dentary with postcanines. It was recovered from the Donguz Formation, Orenburg Oblast of Russia. [4] [5] The fossil was first described as belonging to the genus Antecosuchus (as Antecosuchus ochevi), [4] but in 2002 it was placed in its own monotypic genus. [3]
It has tentatively been classified as a trirachodontid gomphodont pending further fossil discoveries. Gomphodonts were a group of herbivorous cynodonts which lived during the Triassic. [6] If correct, it would be the first trirachodontid described from Russia. [4]
Its classification remains uncertain, however. Other studies treat it as an incertae sedis gomphodont, while others propose that it is more likely to be a bauriid therocephalian rather than a trirachodontid. [7] [8]
