Theledectes

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Theledectes
Temporal range: Middle Triassic, 245–241  Ma
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Parareptilia
Order: Procolophonomorpha
Family: Procolophonidae
Subfamily: Theledectinae
Genus: Theledectes
Modesto & Damiani, 2003
Type species
Theledectes perforatus
(Gow, 1977a [originally Thelegnathus perforatus])

Theledectes is an extinct genus of theledectine procolophonid parareptile from middle Triassic (early Anisian stage) deposits of Free State Province, South Africa.The type species, Theledectes perforatus, is based on the holotype BP/1/4585, a flattened skull. This skull was collected by the South African palaeontologist, James W. Kitching from Hugoskop in the Rouxville District and referred to subzone B of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone of the Burgersdorp Formation, Beaufort Group (Karoo Basin). The genus was first named by Sean P. Modesto and Ross J. Damiani in 2003. [1] However, the species was initially assigned to the genus Thelegnathus (now considered to be a nomen dubium ) by C.E. Gow in 1977, as the species Thelegnathus perforatus. [2]

Contents

Description

Most of the skull is poorly preserved, with the exception of the tooth-bearing elements. Theledectes is the only known parareptile with more than one row of marginal teeth (teeth along the edge of the mouth). The only other reptiles with multiple marginal tooth rows are rhynchosaurs and some captorhinids. The lower jaw has two large incisor-like teeth, akin to Scoloparia . However, the dentition is also distinctly inset from the rest of the face by a large curved area, a trait also known in Hypsognathus . [1] [2] The teeth are large and blunted cones, with circular bases, in contrast to most procolophonids which have teeth that are wider than long. Similar teeth are also observed in "Eumetabolodon" dongshengensis, a Chinese procolophonid previously considered a species of Eumetabolodon . In 2008, Juan Carlos Cisneros named the subfamily Theledectinae to encompass Theledectes and "E." dongshengensis. [3]

Classification

Cladogram after Cisneros, 2008: [3]

Procolophonidae

Coletta

Pintosaurus

Sauropareion

Phaanthosaurus

Theledectinae

"Eumetabolodon" dongshengensis

Theledectes

Tichvinskia

Procolophoninae

Leptopleuroninae

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<i>Sauropareion</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

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<i>Teratophon</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Teratophon is an extinct genus of procolophonine procolophonid parareptile from middle Triassic deposits of Free State Province, South Africa. It is known from the holotype BP/1/4299, a nearly complete skull. It was collected by the South African palaeontologist, James W. Kitching from Hugoskop in the Rouxville District and referred to subzone B of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone of the Burgersdorp Formation, Beaufort Group. It was first named by Sean P. Modesto and Ross J. Damiani in 2003 and the type species is Teratophon spinigenis. It was first assigned to a species of Thelegnathus, Thelegnathus spinigenis.

Thelephon is an extinct genus of procolophonine procolophonid parareptile from middle Triassic deposits of Free State Province, South Africa. It is known from the holotype BP/1/3512, a partial skull lacking the snout and anterior third of the mandible. It was collected by the South African palaeontologist, James W. Kitching from Hugoskop in the Winnaarsbaken and referred to subzone B of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone of the Burgersdorp Formation, Beaufort Group. It was first named by Sean P. Modesto and Ross J. Damiani in 2003 and the type species is Thelephon contritus. It was first assigned to a species of Thelegnathus, Thelegnathus contritus.

Thelerpeton is an extinct genus of procolophonine procolophonid parareptile from middle Triassic deposits of Free State Province, South Africa. It is known from the holotype BP/1/4538, a nearly complete skull. It was collected by the South African palaeontologist, James W. Kitching from Hugoskop in the Rouxville District and referred to subzone B of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone of the Burgersdorp Formation, Beaufort Group. It was first named by Sean P. Modesto and Ross J. Damiani in 2003 and the type species is Thelerpeton oppressus. It was first assigned to a species of Thelegnathus, Thelegnathus oppressus.

<i>Eumetabolodon</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Eumetabolodon is an extinct genus of procolophonine procolophonid parareptile from early and middle Triassic deposits of Nei Mongol, northern China. Two species of Eumetabolodon were named by J. L. Li in 1983 and the type species is Eumetabolodon bathycephalus.

Palacrodon is an extinct genus of Triassic reptile with a widespread distribution. It was initially described from teeth collected in Early Triassic deposits in South Africa, and later reported from the Early Triassic of Antarctica and the Late Triassic of Arizona. Although previously considered an early rhynchocephalian, it is currently considered to be a non-saurian neodiapsid.

<i>Eomurruna</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Eomurruna is a genus of procolophonid reptile that existed in what is now Queensland, Australia during the Early Triassic period. The genus is made up of a single species, E. yurrgensis, originally uncovered within the Arcadia Formation in 1985. Since then over 40 specimens have been referred to the genus, making Eomurruna one of the most complete organisms so far found from the Mesozoic of Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 Sean P. Modesto; Ross J. Damiani (2003). "Taxonomic status of Thelegnathus browni Broom, a procolophonid reptile from the South African Triassic". Annals of Carnegie Museum. 72 (1): 53–64. doi: 10.5962/p.215088 . S2CID   90233554.
  2. 1 2 Gow, C.E. (1977). "New procolophonids from the Triassic Cynognathus zone of South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 72 (6): 109–124.
  3. 1 2 Juan Carlos Cisneros (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships of procolophonid parareptiles with remarks on their geological record" (PDF). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 6 (3): 345–366. Bibcode:2008JSPal...6..345C. doi:10.1017/S1477201907002350. S2CID   84468714.