Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa
Dicynodonts are an extinct group of herbivorous non-mammalian therapsids (‘mammal-like’ reptiles) that are widely known from terrestrial Permo-Triassic strata throughout Pangaea. Dicynodont fossil remains are common within the Late Permian Beaufort Group of the Karoo Basin in South Africa. A large,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2012-10-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
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| Online Access: | http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/1158 |
| _version_ | 1811277893436702720 |
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| author | Nicholas Fordyce Roger Smith Anusuya Chinsamy |
| author_facet | Nicholas Fordyce Roger Smith Anusuya Chinsamy |
| author_sort | Nicholas Fordyce |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dicynodonts are an extinct group of herbivorous non-mammalian therapsids (‘mammal-like’ reptiles) that are widely known from terrestrial Permo-Triassic strata throughout Pangaea. Dicynodont fossil remains are common within the Late Permian Beaufort Group of the Karoo Basin in South Africa. A large, partially articulated dicynodont skeleton recovered from the Tropidostoma Assemblage Zone is taphonomically important in having an unusual disarticulation pattern, bone surface punctures and a broken tooth of an unidentified carnivore associated with it. Here we report on the nature of the bone damage, and the identity of the carnivore that lost a canine tooth whilst scavenging the dicynodont carcass. The morphological characteristics of the serrations on the unidentified tooth were compared with those of contemporaneous carnivores, the gorgonopsians and therocephalians. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of a silicone cast of the unidentified tooth revealed distinctive 0.5-mm square-shaped serrations. Our comparative assessment of the tooth size, curvature, cross-sectional shape and morphology of the serrations revealed that the unidentified canine most closely matched Aelurognathus, a gorgonopsian known from the same assemblage zone. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:24:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf87cf1e6e7441429cc32296746f7c8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0038-2353 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:24:47Z |
| publishDate | 2012-10-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf87cf1e6e7441429cc32296746f7c8d2022-12-22T03:10:38ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science0038-23531996-74892012-10-0110811/1210.4102/sajs.v108i11/12.11581158Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South AfricaNicholas Fordyce0Roger Smith1Anusuya Chinsamy2Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Cape TownIziko South African Museum, Cape TownDepartment of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Cape TownDicynodonts are an extinct group of herbivorous non-mammalian therapsids (‘mammal-like’ reptiles) that are widely known from terrestrial Permo-Triassic strata throughout Pangaea. Dicynodont fossil remains are common within the Late Permian Beaufort Group of the Karoo Basin in South Africa. A large, partially articulated dicynodont skeleton recovered from the Tropidostoma Assemblage Zone is taphonomically important in having an unusual disarticulation pattern, bone surface punctures and a broken tooth of an unidentified carnivore associated with it. Here we report on the nature of the bone damage, and the identity of the carnivore that lost a canine tooth whilst scavenging the dicynodont carcass. The morphological characteristics of the serrations on the unidentified tooth were compared with those of contemporaneous carnivores, the gorgonopsians and therocephalians. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of a silicone cast of the unidentified tooth revealed distinctive 0.5-mm square-shaped serrations. Our comparative assessment of the tooth size, curvature, cross-sectional shape and morphology of the serrations revealed that the unidentified canine most closely matched Aelurognathus, a gorgonopsian known from the same assemblage zone.http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/1158dicynodontgorgonopsianscarnivore damagetaphonomyDicynodontiatooth serrations |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas Fordyce Roger Smith Anusuya Chinsamy Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa South African Journal of Science dicynodont gorgonopsians carnivore damage taphonomy Dicynodontia tooth serrations |
| title | Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa |
| title_full | Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa |
| title_short | Evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the Late Permian Karoo Basin, South Africa |
| title_sort | evidence of a therapsid scavenger in the late permian karoo basin south africa |
| topic | dicynodont gorgonopsians carnivore damage taphonomy Dicynodontia tooth serrations |
| url | http://archive.sajs.co.za/index.php/SAJS/article/view/1158 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicholasfordyce evidenceofatherapsidscavengerinthelatepermiankaroobasinsouthafrica AT rogersmith evidenceofatherapsidscavengerinthelatepermiankaroobasinsouthafrica AT anusuyachinsamy evidenceofatherapsidscavengerinthelatepermiankaroobasinsouthafrica |