Procolophonid
Encyclopedia
The Procolophonids - family Procolophonidae (Superfamily Procolophonoidea)- are a group of small reptiles. Skulls have been discovered, roughly 5 cm in diameter.
They were shaped like stocky lizards, with broad-cheeked skulls. Their cheeks sported a stout backward-pointing spike. Hypsognathus
, from North America, had many cheek spikes. Procolophon
, the genus after which the group was named, is unusual. Their skulls resemble the turtle
s', sharing a posttemporal fenestra. Accordingly they have historically been classed alongside the turtles under the Anapsida.
Up to the early Triassic, their teeth were sharp, indicating an insectivorous diet. Later in the Triassic their teeth became broader, indicating a switch to a herbivorous diet. They became extinct at the end of the Triassic.
Recent findings indicate that these animals may have been found in Antarctica in the Early Triassic
, thereby the earliest evidence of tetrapods in the Antarctic.
They were shaped like stocky lizards, with broad-cheeked skulls. Their cheeks sported a stout backward-pointing spike. Hypsognathus
Hypsognathus
Hypsognathus is an extinct genus of anapsid reptile from the late Triassic period of New Jersey and Connecticut.Hypsognathus resembled a moderately sized lizard, with a length of , although it was unrelated to modern lizards....
, from North America, had many cheek spikes. Procolophon
Procolophon
Procolophon was a genus of lizard-like procolophonid reptiles with at least eight species that persisted through the Permian–Triassic extinction event, but became extinct in the later Triassic....
, the genus after which the group was named, is unusual. Their skulls resemble the turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s', sharing a posttemporal fenestra. Accordingly they have historically been classed alongside the turtles under the Anapsida.
Up to the early Triassic, their teeth were sharp, indicating an insectivorous diet. Later in the Triassic their teeth became broader, indicating a switch to a herbivorous diet. They became extinct at the end of the Triassic.
Recent findings indicate that these animals may have been found in Antarctica in the Early Triassic
Early Triassic
The Early Triassic is the first of three epochs of the Triassic period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 251 ± 0.4 Ma and 245 ± 1.5 Ma . Rocks from this epoch are collectively known as the Lower Triassic, which is a unit in chronostratigraphy...
, thereby the earliest evidence of tetrapods in the Antarctic.