Scalenodontoides is an extinct genus of non-mammalian traversodontid cynodont that existed in the Norian and Rhaetian ages of the Late Triassic epoch, 227-201.4 million years ago. With a possible skull length of up to 617 mm, it could be the largest non-mammalian cynodont known to date. Its fossils have been discovered in Lesotho and South Africa. The type and only species is Scalenodontoides macrodontes, firstly described by Crompton and Ellenberger in 1957.[1]
Description[]
The holotype of S. macrodontes is a mandible collected from the Norian/Rhaetian terrestrial strata of Morobong Hill, Elliot Formation, Lesotho. The structure of the teeth indicates that, like its close relatives, this animal was a herbivore. The skull of this cynodont reaches a length of 248 mm (MNHN 1957.25), making it the size of a large dog. However, there is an incomplete snout (NMQR 3053) likely belonging to S. macrodontes. If similar in proportions to MNHN 1957.25, it would reach 617 mm in length, making it the largest non-mammaliaform cynodont ever discovered.[2]
Paleoecology[]
At the time this species lived, there was a single continent called Pangea. Dinosaurs already existed, but the dominant group were the pseudosuchians. Melanorosaurus, a primitive sauropodomorph, was discovered along with Scalenodontoides in Elliot Formation in Lesotho.[3] Although an omnivore, the dinosaur was unlikely to pose a threat to it due to the large size of the cynodont.
References[]
- ↑ A. W. Crompton; F. Ellenberger (1957). "On a new cynodont from the Molteno Beds and the origin of the tritylodontids". Annals of the South African Museum 44: pp. 1-14.
- ↑ Tolchard, Frederick; Kammerer, Christian F.; Butler, Richard J.; Hendrickx, Christophe; Benoit, Julien; Abdala, Fernando; Choiniere, Jonah N. (2021). "A new large gomphodont from the Triassic of South Africa and its implications for Gondwanan biostratigraphy". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 41 (2): e1929265. DOI:10.1080/02724634.2021.1929265
- ↑ J. W. Kitching; M. A. Raath (1984). "Fossils from the Elliot and Clarens Formations (Karoo Sequence) of the northeastern Cape, Orange Free State and Lesotho, and a suggested biozonation based on tetrapods". Palaeontologia Africana 25: pp. 111-125