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Systematics of the Anteosauria (Therapsida: Dinocephalia)

2011; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 9; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14772019.2010.492645

1478-0941

Christian F. Kammerer,

Turtle Biology and Conservation

Anteosaurs (Therapsida: Dinocephalia: Anteosauria) were the dominant terrestrial predators during the late Middle Permian period and are known from southern Africa, the former USSR, China and Brazil. This paper presents a critical taxonomic review of all known anteosaur taxa and a reevaluation of anteosaurian interrelationships. The following anteosaur species are considered to be valid: Anteosaurus magnificus, Archaeosyodon praeventor, Australosyodon nyaphuli, Microsyodon orlovi, Notosyodon gusevi, Sinophoneus yumenensis, Syodon biarmicum, Titanophoneus adamanteus and T. potens. Syodon efremovi is considered a junior synonym of S. biarmicum, Stenocybus acidentatus to represent juvenile material of Sinophoneus yumenensis, Doliosauriscus yanshinovi a junior synonym of Titanophoneus potens, and Paranteosaurus primus a junior synonym of Anteosaurus magnificus. Admetophoneus kargalensis, Archaeosuchus cairncrossi, Brithopus bashkyricus, B. ponderus, B. priscus, Eccasaurus priscus, Lamiasaurus newtoni and Orthopus primaevus are regarded as nomina dubia. 'Titanophoneus' rugosus is tentatively considered the first representative of the genus Anteosaurus in Russia. Phylogenetic analysis of anteosaurs recovers a monophyletic Anteosauridae containing two major clades, Syodontinae (containing Australosyodon, Notosyodon and Syodon) and Anteosaurinae (containing Anteosaurus, Sinophoneus and Titanophoneus). The Russian taxa Archaeosyodon and Microsyodon represent the most basal anteosaurs. Anteosaurian skulls share many features in common with those of large-bodied predatory taxa such as tyrannosaurid dinosaurs, and anteosaurines in particular exhibit characters associated with handling large prey items and possibly bone-crushing.