Ecteninion

Taxobox
name = "Ecteninion"
fossil_range = Late Triassic
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Synapsida
ordo = Therapsida
subordo = Cynodontia
genus = "Ecteninion"
species = "E. lunensis"
binomial = "Ecteninion lunensis"
binomial_authority = Martinez, May and Forster, 1996

"Ecteninion" is a genus of meat-eating mammal-like reptiles (Therapsids) that lived during the Triassic of South America. Its affinities are unclear, but it seems to be related to "Probainognathus". The genus "Ecteninion" was named by Martinez R.N., May C.L. and Forster C.A. in 1996 based on a single species.

The species "Ecteninion lunensis" is known from a nearly complete skull of about 11 cm in length. It was found in Carnian (Upper Triassic)-age strata of the Ischigualasto Formation in Argentina. It has been interpreted as a basal eucynodont. The holotype is in the collection of the Universidad Nacional de San Juan.

References

* Martinez et al (1996) "A new carnivorous cynodont from the Ischigualasto formation (Late Triassic, Argentina), with comments on eucynodont phylogeny." "J. of Vert. Paleontology" 16(2), p.271-284.
* [http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/cynoga.htm TRIASSIC CYNODONTS: Cynognathidae, Probainognathidae and "Allies", an Internet directory]