Xenotosuchus
| Xenotosuchus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Xenotosuchus skull, showing the full complement of tetrapod skull roof bones | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Subclass: | Labyrinthodontia |
| Order: | Temnospondyli |
| Suborder: | Stereospondyli |
| Superfamily: | Mastodonsauroidea |
| Family: | Mastodonsauridae |
| Genus: | Xenotosaurus Morales and Shishkin, 2002 |
| Species | |
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Xenotosuchus is an extinct genus of mastodonsauroid temnospondyl within the family Mastodonsauridae. The genus is based on a skull originally described as Parotosuchus, an animal which it resembled in general build and habit.[1]
Xenotosuchus in life
Like many mastodontosaurids, it was a large animal with a large head. It's amphibian life history meant that the distinct shape of the skull roof would change from a general tadpole-like skull type through to the distinct adult shape.[2] The head bones are covered in large pits and grooves, indicating extensive dermal armour on the head. Both the upper and lower jaw had tusks, those of the upper jaw being situated on a 2nd row of teeth on the vomer and palatine bone. Contrary to related forms like Mastodonsaurus, the tusks of the lower jaw were of moderate size and did not penetrate the premaxilla.[1]
References
- 1 2 Morales, M.; Shishkin (2002). "M.A." (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0001:araopa]2.0.co;2.
- ↑ Damiani, R. (2008). "A giant skull of the temnospondyl Xenotosuchus africanus from the Middle Triassic of South Africa and its ontogenetic implications" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53 (1): 75–84. doi:10.4202/app.2008.0104.
See also
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