Lycosuchus

Lycosuchus
Temporal range: Middle Permian, 265–260 Ma
↓
Lycosuchus sp. skull at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Suborder: †Therocephalia
Family: †Lycosuchidae
Genus: †Lycosuchus
Species
  • †L. mackayi
  • †L. vanderrieti

Lycosuchus ("wolf crocodile") is an extinct carnivorous genus of therocephalian which lived in the Middle Permian 265—260 Ma existing for approximately 5 million years. It was a medium-sized predator, reaching 1.2 m (3.8 ft) in length with a skull 23 cm long.[1]

Head

Discovered in South Africa, it was named by paleontologist Robert Broom in 1903 and later assigned by him to Therocephalia.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ T.S. Kemp (2005) The origin and evolution of mammals p.55
  • R. Broom (1913) A revision of the reptiles of the Karroo. Annals of the South African Museum 7(6):361-366
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