The oldest Procolophonoid (Amniota: Parareptilia) - New discovery from the lower Beaufort of South Africa.

Abstract

Until now the earliest recognised procolophonoid (sensu Laurin & Reisz 1995) reptile has been Owenetta, which ranges from the Cistecephalus assemblage zone (Upper Permian) to the Lystrosaurus assemblage zone (Lower Triassic) of the Beaufort Group of South Africa. This paper records the presence of a new even older form from low in the underlying Tapinocephalus assemblage zone.