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Progalesaurus
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Progalesaurus
Progalesaurus is an extinct genus of galesaurid cynodont from the early Triassic. Progalesaurus is known from a single fossil of the species Progalesaurus lootsbergensis, found in the Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Balfour Formation. Close relatives of Progalesaurus, other galesaurids, include Galesaurus and Cynosaurus. Galesaurids appeared just before the Permian-Triassic extinction event, and disappeared from the fossil record in the Middle-Triassic.
The name "Progalesaurus" is derived from Greek, "pro" meaning before, "gale" meaning weasel or cat, and "saurus" meaning lizard or reptile (Sidor and Smith). The name refers to the relationship Progalesaurus has to the more derived Galesaurus.
Progalesaurus was originally discovered by Roger M. H. Smith in 1998. The specimen was found in the Sneeuberg mountains near New Lootsberg Pass in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Progalesaurus was first described in 2004 by Christian A. Sidor and Roger M. H. Smith in their paper titled, "A New Galesaurid (Therapsida: Cynodontia) From the Lower Triassic of South Africa."
Although no other specimen of Progalesaurus has been found as of yet, Sidor and Smith's findings have been included in many papers on the Permian-Triassic extinction event, cynodont diversity, and the paleoenvironment of South Africa.
Progalesaurus was a relatively small mammal-like creature, with the skull of its holotype measuring 9.35 cm in length. It likely closely resembled its early cynodont relatives, walking on four legs and covered in fur.
Progalesaurus, like Galesaurus, has remarkably large nares compared to other early cynodonts. The nares are formed externally by the premaxilla, the maxilla, and the nasal. The septomaxilla resides inside the nares, on top of the junction between maxilla and premaxilla.
The orbit faces anteriorly and is formed by the lacrimal, prefrontal, jugal, and post orbital. The post orbital notably has a deeply forked posterior margin. This characteristic is seen in some other basal cynodonts, but is widely variable.
The maxilla forms a good portion of the side of the face and is dotted with small foramina, mostly above the canines. These foramina likely housed nerves, and were perhaps associated with whiskers. The nasal is also dotted with tiny foramina.
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Progalesaurus
Progalesaurus is an extinct genus of galesaurid cynodont from the early Triassic. Progalesaurus is known from a single fossil of the species Progalesaurus lootsbergensis, found in the Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Balfour Formation. Close relatives of Progalesaurus, other galesaurids, include Galesaurus and Cynosaurus. Galesaurids appeared just before the Permian-Triassic extinction event, and disappeared from the fossil record in the Middle-Triassic.
The name "Progalesaurus" is derived from Greek, "pro" meaning before, "gale" meaning weasel or cat, and "saurus" meaning lizard or reptile (Sidor and Smith). The name refers to the relationship Progalesaurus has to the more derived Galesaurus.
Progalesaurus was originally discovered by Roger M. H. Smith in 1998. The specimen was found in the Sneeuberg mountains near New Lootsberg Pass in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Progalesaurus was first described in 2004 by Christian A. Sidor and Roger M. H. Smith in their paper titled, "A New Galesaurid (Therapsida: Cynodontia) From the Lower Triassic of South Africa."
Although no other specimen of Progalesaurus has been found as of yet, Sidor and Smith's findings have been included in many papers on the Permian-Triassic extinction event, cynodont diversity, and the paleoenvironment of South Africa.
Progalesaurus was a relatively small mammal-like creature, with the skull of its holotype measuring 9.35 cm in length. It likely closely resembled its early cynodont relatives, walking on four legs and covered in fur.
Progalesaurus, like Galesaurus, has remarkably large nares compared to other early cynodonts. The nares are formed externally by the premaxilla, the maxilla, and the nasal. The septomaxilla resides inside the nares, on top of the junction between maxilla and premaxilla.
The orbit faces anteriorly and is formed by the lacrimal, prefrontal, jugal, and post orbital. The post orbital notably has a deeply forked posterior margin. This characteristic is seen in some other basal cynodonts, but is widely variable.
The maxilla forms a good portion of the side of the face and is dotted with small foramina, mostly above the canines. These foramina likely housed nerves, and were perhaps associated with whiskers. The nasal is also dotted with tiny foramina.
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