Rediscovery of the holotype of Clelandina major Broom, 1948 (Gorgonopsia: Rubidgeinae) with implications for the identity of this species
Date
2017-12
Authors
Kammerer, Christian F.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Evolutionary Studies Institute
Abstract
No specimen number was given for the holotype of the rubidgeine gorgonopsian species Clelandina major Broom, 1948 in its original
description. Historically, a specimen in the Rubidge Collection (RC 94) was considered to represent Broom’s type specimen for C. major.
However, recent study has revealed that the holotype of C. major is in fact a different specimen in the McGregor Museum in Kimberley
(MMK 5031). The morphology of this specimen is consistent with the genus Clelandina, contra work based on RC 94 that considered
C. major referable toAelurognathus. Clelandina major is here considered synonymous with the type species Clelandina rubidgei.MMK5031
represents only the fifth known specimen of this rare and unusual gorgonopsian.
Description
Keywords
Synapsida, Therapsida, Gorgonopsia, Permian, holotype, taxonomy