Procynosuchidae

Extinct family of cynodonts

Procynosuchids
Temporal range: Late Permian, 260–253.8 Ma
PreꞒ
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S
D
C
P
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J
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Pg
N
Procynosuchus delaharpeae from the Late Permian of South Africa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Clade: Cynodontia
Family: Procynosuchidae
Broom, 1938
Genera

Procynosuchus
Sludica
Uralocynodon

Procynosuchidae is an extinct family of therapsids which, along with Dviniidae, were the earliest cynodonts.[1] They appeared around 260 million years ago, and were most abundant during the latest Permian time (251 mya), shortly before the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Despite being the basal member of the cynodont clade, they already showed some of the advanced mammalian characteristics, but procynosuchids bore resemblance to the therocephalians.

Procynosuchid eyes were forward-facing, and the dentary was larger than the therocephalians. The procynosuchids had a secondary palate, which allows them to eat food while breathing, just like mammals. The procynosuchids became extinct at the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Some procynosuchids were terrestrial, but others like Procynosuchus were semi-aquatic.

References

  1. ^ Mendrez, Christiane Helene (1972). "ON CYRBASIODON BOYCEI, BROOM 1931, (CYNODONTIA PROCYNOSUCHIDAE), FROM SOUTH AFRICA". Palaeontologia africana. ISSN 0078-8554.
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Synapsida
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Cynodontia
    • see below↓
Charassognathidae
Procynosuchidae
Galesauridae
Eucynodontia
Cynognathia
    • see Cynognathia
Probainognathia
    • see below↓
Abdalodon diastematicus Galesaurus planiceps
Chiniquodontidae
Probainognathidae
Ecteniniidae
Prozostrodontidae
Tritheledontidae
Mammaliamorpha
Tritylodontidae
Mammaliaformes
    • see below↓
Chiniquodon theotonicus

Riograndia guaibensis

Oligokyphus triserialis
Kuehneotheriidae
Shuotheriidae
Docodonta
Haramiyida
Euharamiyida
Hahnodontidae?
Crown-Mammalia
    • see Mammalia
Morganucodon watsoni Docofossor brachydactylus
See also
Incertae sedis
Paraphyletic /
Polyphyletic groups
  • Category
Taxon identifiers
Procynosuchidae


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