Charassognathus

Charassognathus Temporal range: Wuchiapingian ~259–254 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Charassognathus gracilis, a basal cynodont
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Clade:	Therapsida
Clade:	Cynodontia
Family:	†Charassognathidae
Genus:	†Charassognathus Botha et al., 2007
Species
†C. gracilis Botha et al., 2007 (type)

Charassognathus (meaning 'notched jaw') is an extinct genus of Late Permian cynodonts. Described in 2007 from a locality near Fraserburg, South Africa, Charassognathus is one of the earliest and most basal cynodonts. It is known only from the holotype, which dates from the Late Permian Period. The type and only species is C. gracilis. The holotype (SAM-PK-K 10369), found in the Tropidostoma Assemblage Zone of the Teekloof Formation, is made up of a crushed skull, partial lower jaw and one leg.

Charassognathus was a quadrupedal predator. It was named for a notch on its coronoid process which most likely was the insertion point for a chewing muscle, the adductor mandibulae externus. Charassognathus was a small animal, with a skull only 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in length. Since the body of Charassognathus has not been discovered, its full length remains unknown, but estimates have been made at 50 centimetres (20 in).

Description

Charassognathus has a snout that makes up slightly less than half of the total length of its skull and a long facial process on its septomaxilla. Other than these two features its skull is that of a typical cynodont. The odd shape of its septomaxilla is more typical of therocephalians than other cynodonts indicating that it may be close to a common ancestor between the two groups.

See also

• List of therapsids

References

• Botha, Abdala & Smith (2007). "The oldest cynodont: new clues on the origin and diversification of the Cynodontia". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 149: 477–492. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00268.x.

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Cynodontia

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Synapsida Clade: Therapsida Clade: Eutheriodontia
Synapsida see Synapsida Cynodontia see below↓

Cynodontia
Cynodontia †Dvinia †Nanocynodon †Madysaurus †Uralocynodon †Charassognathidae Abdalodon Charassognathus Nshimbodon †Procynosuchidae Procynosuchus Sludica Epicynodontia †Bolotridon †Cynosaurus †Nanictosaurus †Nythosaurus †Platycraniellus †Thrinaxodon †Vetusodon †Galesauridae Galesaurus Progalesaurus Eucynodontia †Kataigidodon †Cynognathia see Cynognathia Probainognathia see below↓

Probainognathia
Probainognathia †Agudotherium †Candelariodon †Charruodon †Lumkuia †Protheriodon †Tessellatia †Chiniquodontidae Aleodon Chiniquodon Cromptodon? Riojanodon †Probainognathidae Bonacynodon Probainognathus †Ecteniniidae Diegocanis Ecteninion Trucidocynodon Prozostrodontia †Alemoatherium †Deccanodon †Dromatherium †Inditherium †Microconodon †Polonodon †Pseudotriconodon †Rewaconodon †Santacruzgnathus †Therioherpeton †Tricuspes †Prozostrodontidae Prozostrodon Pseudotherium †Tritheledontidae Chaliminia Diarthrognathus Elliotherium Irajatherium Pachygenelus Riograndia? Tritheledon Mammaliamorpha †Adelobasileus †Botucaraitherium †Brasilodon †Sinoconodon †Tikiodon †Tritylodontidae Bienotherium Bienotheroides Bocatherium Dianzhongia Dinnebitodon Fossiomanus Kayentatherium Lufengia Montirictus Nuurtherium Oligokyphus Polistodon Shartegodon Stereognathus Tritylodon Xenocretosuchus Yuanotherium Yunnanodon Mammaliaformes see below↓

Mammaliaformes
Mammaliaformes †Bocaconodon †Brachyzostrodon †Bridetherium †Cherwellia †Cifellilestes †Delsatia †Dianoconodon †Dinnetherium †Dyskritodon †Eozostrodon †Erythrotherium †Gondwanadon †Hadrocodium †Hallautherium †Helvetiodon †Indotherium †Indozostrodon †Megazostrodon †Morganucodon †Paceyodon †Paikasigudodon †Purbeckodon †Rosierodon †Sinoconodon? †Storchodon †Stylidens †Wareolestes †Woutersia †Kuehneotheriidae Fluctuodon Kotatherium Kuehneon Kuehneotherium †Shuotheriidae Feredocodon Itatodon? Paritatodon? Pseudotribos Shuotherium †Docodonta Agilodocodon Borealestes Castorocauda Cyrtlatherium Dobunnodon Docodon Docofossor Dsungarodon Ergetiis Gondtherium? Haldanodon Hutegotherium Itatodon? Khorotherium Krusatodon Microdocodon Paritatodon? Peraiocynodon Sibirotherium Simpsonodon Tashkumyrodon Tegotherium †Haramiyida Avashishta? Hypsiprymnopsis? Haramiyavia Kalaallitkigun Kollikodon? Mojo? Theroteinus Thomasia Euharamiyida Allostaffia? Arboroharamiya Baidabatyr? Butlerodon Cryoharamiya Kermackodon? Maiopatagium Megaconus? Qishou Sharypovoia Shenshou Sineleutherus Vilevolodon Woodeatonia Xianshou Gondwanatheria? Hahnodontidae? Cifelliodon Denisodon Hahnodon Crown-Mammalia see Mammalia

See also
Incertae sedis †Eoraetia †Gaumia †"Hahnia" †Kunminia †Lepagia †Meurthodon †Mitredon †Panchetocynodon †Redondagnathus Paraphyletic / Polyphyletic groups Dromatheriidae Morganucodonta Symmetrodonta Triconodonta

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