A RE-EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEMATICS AND MORPHOLOGY OF CERTAIN ANOMODONT THERAPSIDA
Date
1972
Authors
Keyser, A. W.
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Abstract
The cranial morphology of a number of
specimens assigned to the genera Oudenodon,
Rhachiocephalus, Aulacephalodon and Pelanomodon
was investigated (Keyser, 1969). It was
found that the internal morphology and the
general structure of the skulls show great agreement.
Many of the differences between the genera
can be associated with the size of the skull. The
main differences between the genera lie in the
specialisation of the biting mechanism and in the
relative size and shape of the nasal and prefrontal
bosses. It is suggested that the genera Oudenodon
and Rhachio cephalus bit off their food with the
sides of the horn-covered jaws while the broadnosed
genera Aulacephalodon and Pelanomodon
bit with the transverse anterior tips of the jaws.
This difference in the morphology of the jaws is
probably indicative of a fundamental dichotomy
between the two groups of genera. A similar
dichotomy has been suggested for Triassic dicynodonts
by Cox (1965).