A new skull of the procynosuchid Cynodont Leavachia duvenhagei Broom

Abstract

This paper describes one of the most excellent, complete, virtually undamaged and undistorted skulls of a Karroo therapsid yet found. It is of exactly the same size as the type specimen of Leavachia duvenhagei Broom, housed in the Rubidge Collection. Nearly every detail of the structure of the skull can be traced, except structures on the inside of the cranial cavities and details obscured by the lower jaw which is in good occlusion. It is the third specimen of this species on record and this description renders it the best known specimen of all procynosuchid species. It is pointed out that the genera Leavachia and Procynosuchus are not readily distinguishable, but this may be due to lack of knowledge of the latter genus.