Galesauridae

Galesauridae

Taxobox
name = Galesauridae
fossil_range = late Latest Permian to Middle Triassic
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Synapsida
ordo = Therapsida
subordo = Cynodontia
unranked_familia = Epicynodontia
familia = Galesauridae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Cynosaurus"
"Nanictosaurus"
"Progalesaurus"
"Galesaurus"
"Thrinaxodon"

Galesauridae, along with the family Thrinaxodontidae and the large clade Eucynodontia (which includes the mammals) make up the unranked taxon called Epicynodontia. Galesaurids first appeared in the very latest Permian period, just a million years (or perhaps only a thousand years) before the greatest extinction of all time, the Permian-Triassic extinction event.

Galesaurids are the most primitive of the epicynodonts. They may have resembled the basal cynodonts, such as the procynosuchids and may have descended from a procynosuchid-like ancestor, but the galesaurids were more advanced than the basal cynodonts. It is clear that, like many other epicynodonts, many galesaurids had a complete secondary palate, which allowed them to swallow food while breathing, and the dentary bone was enlarged relative to those of their ancestors. Their temporal fenestrae are much larger than those of the procynosuchids, but not as large as in more advanced epicynodonts. Their snouts are broad, rather than tall, and they may have walked erect, with the legs beneath the body like most other cynodonts.

Galesaurid fossils are found almost worldwide. They were among the survivors of the Permian-Triassic extinction event, but they became extinct in the Middle Triassic epoch, as did the therocephalians. One of the most notable genera of the family Galesauridae is "Galesaurus".


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Galesauridae —   Galesauridae Rango temporal: Pérmico Superior Triásico Medio …   Wikipedia Español

  • Cynodontia — Cynodonte Cynognathus …   Wikipédia en Français

  • galesaurid — I. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|sȯrə̇d adjective Etymology: New Latin Galesauridae, a family of reptiles, from Galesaurus, type genus + idae : of or relating to the genus Galesaurus or the family Galesauridae II. noun ( s) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cynodont — Cynodonts Temporal range: Late Permian–present (Descendant taxon, Mammalia survives to present) …   Wikipedia

  • Cynognathus — Temporal range: Early Middle Triassic, 247–237 Ma …   Wikipedia

  • Chiniquodontidae — Chiniquodontids Temporal range: Triassic Probelesodon Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Chiniquodon — Temporal range: Middle Triassic …   Wikipedia

  • Thrinaxodon — Taxobox name = Thrinaxodon image caption = Restoration of Thrinaxodon fossil range = late Palaeozoic regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Synapsida ordo = Therapsida subordo = Cynodontia familia = Galesauridae genus = Thrinaxodon genus… …   Wikipedia

  • Oligokyphus — Temporal range: Late Triassic–Early Jurassic …   Wikipedia

  • Galesaurus — Taxobox name = Galesaurus fossil range = Early Triassic (Induan) regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Synapsida ordo = Therapsida subordo = Cynodontia unranked familia = Epicynodontia familia = Galesauridae genus = Galesaurus subdivision …   Wikipedia

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