Chiniquodon

Chiniquodon Temporal range: Middle Triassic PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Chiniquodon, UFRGS.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Synapsida
Order:	Therapsida
Suborder:	Cynodontia
Family:	Chiniquodontidae
Genus:	Chiniquodon von Huene, 1936
Species
C. brasilensis C. kalanoro C. sanjuanensis C. theotonicus

Chiniquodon is a genus of carnivorous "mammal-like reptile", (Therapsid), which lived during the lower Upper Triassic in South America. These animals were up to the size of a dog. This genus seems to be most closely related to a contemporary genus, Probelesodon. In various respects, the anatomy is very mammal-like, though not strongly enough to be viewed as a direct ancestor.
Other contemporaries included early dinosaurs. As both groups filled a similar ecological niche, this might explain the disappearance of fairly large hunters such as Chiniquodon.

Species

Chiniquodon brasilensis

• Place: The Paleontological Site Chiniquá, Santa Maria Formation
• Country: Brazil, in geopark of paleorrota.
• Age: Carnian, Upper Triassic

Remarks: A dog-sized predator, with a skull-length of about 10 cm. This species may not have been formally published.

Chiniquodon sanjuanensis^[1]

• Place: Ischigualasto Formation
• Country: Argentina
• Age: Carnian (Upper Triassic)

This skull was reassigned to this genus in 2002.^[2] It's differentiated from Chiniquodon theotonicus because of its teeth and the shape of the zygomatic process.

Chiniquodon theotonicus

• Place: Santa Maria Formation and Chañares Formation
• Country: Brazil and Argentina
• Age: Carnian (Upper Triassic)

This species is known from a number of skulls. The holotype is in the paleontological collection at Tübingen University, Germany.

Chiniquodon kalanoro^[3]

• Place: Makay Formation
• Country: Madagascar
• Age: Ladinian/Carnian (Upper Triassic)

This species is known from a mandible (holotype UA 10607).

References

1. ^ Ricardo N. Martinez & Catherine A. Forster (June 1996). "The skull of Probelesodon sanjuanensis, sp. nov., from the Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 16 (2): 285–291. doi:10.1080/02724634.1996.10011315. http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a926248101~frm=titlelink. 
2. ^ Abdala, F. & Giannini, N. P. (2002). "Chiniquodontid cynodonts: systematic and morphometric considerations". Palaeontology 45 (6): 1151–1170. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00280. 
3. ^ Christian F. Kammerer; John J. Flynn; Lovasoa Ranivoharimanana; André R. Wyss (2010). "The first record of a probainognathian (Cynodontia: Chiniquodontidae) from the Triassic of Madagascar". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30 (6): 1889–1894. doi:10.1080/02724634.2010.520784. 

• Von Huene. Die Fossilien Reptilien des südamerikanischen Gondwanalandes an der Zeitenwende (Denwa-Molteno-Unterkeuper = Ober-Karnisch). Ergebnisse der Sauriergrabungen in Südbrasilien 1928/29. (The fossil reptiles of South American Gondwana during the temporal transition) (Denwa-Molteno-Upper Triassic = Upper Carnian). Results of the excavations in South Brazil 1928/29, part II.) 1936. Pages 93–159.