''Cistecephalus'' is an extinct

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

dicynodont Dicynodontia is an extinct clade of anomodonts, an extinct type of non-mammalian therapsid. Dicynodonts were herbivores that typically bore a pair of tusks, hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth'. Members of the group possessed a horny, t ...

therapsid from the

Late Permian Late or LATE may refer to: Everyday usage * Tardy, or late, not being on time * Late (or the late) may refer to a person who is dead Music * ''Late'' (The 77s album), 2000 * Late (Alvin Batiste album), 1993 * Late!, a pseudonym used by Dave Groh ...

of southern Africa (

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

). It was a small, specialised, burrowing dicynodont, possibly with habits similar to a modern mole. The head was flattened and wedge-shaped, the body long, and the forelimbs very strong, with similarities in structure to the forelimb of modern burrowing mammals. ''Cistecephalus'' appears to have been endemic to the Karoo Basin of

. It is most common in the ''Cistecephalus'' Assemblage Zone, in which it dominates the fauna, and is also found in the slightly older ''Tropidostoma'' Assemblage Zone. It was one of the first genera of dicynodonts to be described, by

Richard Owen Sir Richard Owen (20 July 1804 – 18 December 1892) was an English biologist, comparative anatomy, comparative anatomist and paleontology, palaeontologist. Owen is generally considered to have been an outstanding naturalist with a remarkabl ...

, in 1876. ''Cistecephalus'' could reach up to in length.

Description

''Cistecephalus'' was one of the most atypical dicynodont genera. However, it was broadly similar in anatomy to other cistecephalids, all of which share similar adaptations to digging. Its skull was broad, with laterally-directed temporal openings and a sharply tapering snout, similar to extant fossorial animals. However, it has relatively large, anteriorly-directed orbits, suggesting binocular vision. It had a short neck and laterally-directed shoulder joint. Its forelimbs were short and powerfully built, and its manus were broad, with fused phalanges. Its hind limbs were flexible and probably could be used to move dirt out of the way.

History

''Cistecephalus'' was one of the first dicynodont genera named, and it has had numerous species assigned to it, but only the type species is considered valid today. Most of these invalid species were incorrectly identified as distinct due to taphonomic differences as well as ontogenetic change and sexual dimorphism. The biology of ''Cistecephalus'' has been interpreted in various ways, due to its rather unusual morphology. Both aquatic and arboreal lifestyles have been suggested, but since 1978, the consensus has been that it was fossorial. Some fossils of a cistecephalid from the Kundaram Formation of India were regarded as belonging to ''Cistecephalus'', but have since been assigned to a separate genus, '' Sauroscaptor''. ''Cistecephalus'' is derived from the Greek words κίστη ("box") and κεφαλή ("head"), and was spelled ''Kistecephalus'' until emended by

Richard Lydekker Richard Lydekker (; 25 July 1849 – 16 April 1915) was a British naturalist, geologist and writer of numerous books on natural history. He was known for his contributions to zoology, paleontology, and biogeography. He worked extensively in cata ...

in 1890. The name is a reference to the boxy shape of its skull.

Species

Iziko Moles Cistecephalus microrhinus specimen

''Cistecephalus'' has had many species assigned to it, most of which are now considered junior synonyms of the type species. Richard Owen named six species when he erected the genus in 1876, of which ''C. microrhinus'' is considered the type. * ''Cistecephalus microrhinus'' is the type species of ''Cistecephalus'' and the only species currently considered valid. * ''Cistecephalus leptorhinus'' was one of the six original species of the genus. This species is a ''nomen dubium'' which has long been assigned to '' Dicynodon'' as well as being made the type species of its own genus, '' Baiopsis''. It is potentially a synonym of '' Diictodon feliceps''. * ''Cistecephalus chelydroides'' was one of the six original species of the genus. * ''Cistecephalus planiceps'' was one of the six original species of the genus. * ''Cistecephalus arctatus'' was one of the six original species of the genus. It has been transferred to the genus '' Emydops'', and is one of the two valid species in that genus. * ''Cistecephalus bathygnathus'' was one of the six original species of the genus. * ''Cistecephalus angusticeps'' was named by

Robert Broom Robert Broom Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS FRSE (30 November 1866 6 April 1951) was a British- South African medical doctor and palaeontologist. He qualified as a medical practitioner in 1895 and received his DSc in 1905 from the University ...

in 1932. It is a junior synonym of ''C. microrhinus''. * ''Cistecephalus major'' was named by Robert Broom in 1948. It is a junior synonym of ''C. microrhinus''. * ''Cistecephalus platyfrons'' was named by Robert Broom in 1948. It is a junior synonym of ''C. microrhinus''. * ''Cistecephalus rubidgei'' was named by Robert Broom in 1948. It is a junior synonym of ''C. microrhinus''. * ''Cistecephalus laticeps'' was named by A. S. Brink in 1950.

Classification

''Cistecephalus'' is the type genus of Cistecephalidae, a clade of emydopoid dicynodonts known from southern Africa and India. Cistecephalids are among the most strongly-supported clades within Dicynodontia. Cladogram showing the phylogenetic position of ''Cistecephalus''.

References

External links