Mahavisaurus
Encyclopedia
Mahavisaurus is an extinct genus
of rhytidosteid
temnospondyl from the early Triassic
period (Induan
stage) of Iraro, Madagascar
. It is known from the holotype MNHN MAE 3037, a nearly complete skull
, recovered from the Middle Sakamena Formation. This genus was named by J. P. Lehman in 1966
, and the type species
is Mahavisaurus dentatus.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of rhytidosteid
Rhytidosteidae
Rhytidosteidae is a family of Temnospondyli that lived in the Permian and Triassic.-References:*Yates, AM , A new tiny rhytidosteid from the Early Triassic of Australia and the possibility of hidden temnospondyl diversity. J. Vert Paleontol. 20:484-489.-External links:*...
temnospondyl from the early Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period (Induan
Induan
The Induan is, in the geologic timescale, the first age of the Early Triassic epoch or the lowest stage of the Lower Triassic series. It spans the time between 251 ± 0.4 Ma and 249.7 ± 0.7 Ma...
stage) of Iraro, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. It is known from the holotype MNHN MAE 3037, a nearly complete skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
, recovered from the Middle Sakamena Formation. This genus was named by J. P. Lehman in 1966
1966 in paleontology
-Newly named mesosaurs:-Newly named dinosaurs:Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list and Dr. Jeremy Montague's dinosaur genus database.-Non-mammalian:...
, and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Mahavisaurus dentatus.