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Titanophoneus potens skull
Skull of Titanophoneus potens (after Efremov 1938)
Titanophoneus ("titanic murderer") was a carnivorous dinocephalian therapsid from the Middle to Late Permian period (270-260 mya). The type species, T. potens, was found at Isheevo in the East European Platform in Russia (Efremov 1938). They belong to the subphyllum Synapsida, the order Therapsida, the suborder Dinocephalia, and the family Anteosauridae.
Dinocephalian ("terrible head") fossils are widespread in Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. Dinocephalians were large-bodied early therapsids that included herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, some semi-aquatic and others terrestial. They were among the largest animals of the Permian period
Titanophoneus
had an adult body length of about 2.85 m and a skull
length of 80 cm, with a heavy long snout. The long tail and short
limbs, representing early therapsid features, show the species to
be a primitive therapsid with a sprawling stance. The
teeth are large, with twelve large palate incisors followed by two
projecting canines and various smaller back teeth. The form of Titanophoneus retains similarities with those of earlier pelycosaur synapsids, such as Dimetrodon.
References
Carroll, R. L. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. WH Freeman & Co.
Efremov, I. 1938. Some new Permian reptiles of the USSR, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. USSR. Paleontol., Vol 19, N 9.
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