Cynognathus

Cynognathus crateronotus · Cynognathus was a large, predatory, mammal-related cynodont that lived in the Middle Triassic, with fossils found in South Africa, Argentina, Antarctica, and Namibia.

It lived about 247 to 237 million years ago.

Cynognathus
Photo: Antonio R. Mihaila, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cynognathus
Photo: Nobu Tamura (https://spinops.blogspot.com), CC BY 2.5
Cynognathus
Photo: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassSynapsida
OrderTherapsida
FamilyCynognathidae
GenusCynognathus
SpeciesCynognathus crateronotus

Where its fossils were found

South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Argentina and Antarctica.

Fun facts

  • Cynognathus was a heavyweight, weighing an estimated 100–110 kilograms and possibly as much as 150 kilograms.
  • Its head was particularly large, up to 40 centimetres long, with wide jaws and sharp teeth.
  • Its name means "dog jaw", from the Ancient Greek words kyon and gnathos.
  • Its jaw had fangs at the front for seizing prey and wider teeth at the back for cutting meat, so it could process food before swallowing.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).