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The Origin and Evolution of Mammals - Moodle

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<strong>The</strong>y constitute the monophyletic group<br />

Epicynodontia, which includes three basal families<br />

plus the advanced Eucynodontia.<br />

Galesauridae<br />

<strong>The</strong> earliest <strong>of</strong> these more progressive cynodonts is<br />

the third kind <strong>of</strong> cynodont known to have existed<br />

(b)<br />

(a)<br />

(c)<br />

Galesaurus<br />

EVOLUTION OF MAMMAL-LIKE REPTILES 63<br />

in the Late Permian. Cynosaurus is from the<br />

Dicynodon Assemblage Zone <strong>of</strong> South Africa, <strong>and</strong> is<br />

a member <strong>of</strong> the family Galesauridae, which is much<br />

better known from Galesaurus itself (Fig. 3.20(c)),<br />

which comes from the overlying, earliest Triassic<br />

Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone fauna. Galesaurids<br />

are judged to be the most basal <strong>of</strong> the epicynodonts<br />

Platycraniellus<br />

Thrinaxodon<br />

Figure 3.20 Basal epicynodonts. (a) Skull <strong>of</strong> Thrinaxodon liorhinus in four views. Skull length approx. 7 cm (Parrington 1946). (b) Postcranial<br />

skeleton <strong>of</strong> Thrinaxodon liorhinus. Presacral length approx. 35 cm (Carroll 1988, from Jenkins 1984). (c) Skull <strong>of</strong> Galesaurus planiceps in dorsal view,<br />

with enlarged upper postcanine teeth. Skull length approx. 8.5 cm (Parrington 1934 <strong>and</strong> Broom 1932). (d) Dorsal view <strong>of</strong> skull <strong>of</strong> Platycraniellus<br />

elegans. Skull length approx. 10 cm (Abdala Unpublished Manuscript).<br />

(d)

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