A new gomphodont cynodont from the Cynognathus zone of South Africa

Abstract

This paper describes a somewhat peculiar new gomphodont cynodont from Cynognathus-zone beds of the Karroo System of South Africa. It is a fairly good skull, with lower jaw in position, but lacking the anterior portion of the snout. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that while the posterior portion of the dentary is powerfully expanded in true gomphodont style, the zygomatic arch is very weakly developed, unlike the condition in any of its other cynodont contemporaries. It is described as a new genus and species, Cragievarus kitchingi, generically after the locality Cragievar and specifically after its collector, Mr J. W. Kitching.