Microsphenodon is an extinct genus of sphenodontian from the Late Triassic of Brazil. The type species is Microsphenodon bonapartei.[1] It is a small sphenodontian with a skull roughly 20 mm long, and represents a unique mosaic of characteristics shared by both early diverging sphenodontians (such as a broad parietal table, multiple tooth rows on the palate, and an elongated premaxillary process) and eusphenodontian characters (full acrodont dentition, high coronoid process and anterior successional teeth, including the earliest known caniniforms in a lepidosaur). Specimens of this taxon were first identified by Bonaparte and Sues (2006) [2] but were misidentified as juvenile Clevosaurus brasiliensis, characteristics such as differences in the configuration of the teeth on the palate, and the unique form of tooth implantation seen in C. brasiliensis, helped differentiate these two co-occurring sphenodontian taxa.[1]
Cladogram following Chambi-Trowell et al., 2021[1]
Rhynchocephalia
Gephyrosaurus
Penegephyrosaurus
Sphenodontia
Paleollanosaurus
Vellberg rhynchocephalian
Diphydontosaurus
Acrosphenodontia
Planocephalosaurus
Godavarisaurus
Polysphenodon
Microsphenodon
Eusphenodontia
^ abcChambi-Trowell, Sofia A. V.; Martinelli, Agustín G.; Whiteside, David I.; Vivar, Paulo R. Romo de; Soares, Marina Bento; Schultz, Cesar L.; Gill, Pamela G.; Benton, Michael J.; Rayfield, Emily J. (2021-06-03). "The diversity of Triassic South American sphenodontians: a new basal form, clevosaurs, and a revision of rhynchocephalian phylogeny". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 19 (11): 787–820. doi:10.1080/14772019.2021.1976292. hdl:1983/af14affc-a26e-426b-83ca-e1833e355882. ISSN 1477-2019. S2CID 240487298.
^Bonaparte, Jose F.; Sues, Hans-Dieter (2006). "A new species of Clevosaurus (Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia) from the Upper Triassic of Rio Grande do sul, Brazil". Palaeontology. 49 (4): 917–923. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00568.x. ISSN 0031-0239. S2CID 26483165.
Microsphenodon is an extinct genus of sphenodontian from the Late Triassic of Brazil. The type species is Microsphenodon bonapartei. It is a small sphenodontian...
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