Extinct genus of therapsids from middle Permian South Africa
Scymnosaurus
Temporal range: Middle Permian-Triassic, 265–250 Ma
PreꞒ
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S
D
C
P
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Holotype skull of S. watsoni (scylacosaurid incertae sedis)
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Clade:
Synapsida
Clade:
Therapsida
Clade:
†Therocephalia
Genus:
†Scymnosaurus Broom, 1903 (nomen dubium)
Species
†S. ferox Broom, 1903 (nomen dubium) (=Lycosuchidae incertae sedis)
†S. major Boonstra, 1954 (nomen dubium) (=Lycosuchidae incertae sedis)
†S. watsoni Broom, 1915 (nomen dubium) (=Scylacosauridae incertae sedis)
Scymnosaurus (σκύμνοςskymnos 'lion cub' + σαῦρος, sauros 'lizard') is a dubious genus of therocephalian therapsids based upon various fossils of large early therocephalians. The genus was described by Robert Broom in 1903 with S. ferox, followed by S. watsoni in 1915 and a third, S. major, by Lieuwe Dirk Boonstra in 1954. Each of these species are considered nomen dubia today and based upon specimens belonging to two separate families of therocephalians. S. ferox and S. major represent specimens of Lycosuchidae incertae sedis, while S. watsoni is Scylacosauridae incertae sedis. Broom named a fourth species in 1907 from KwaZulu-Natal, S. warreni, though he later referred it to Moschorhinus as a valid species in 1932 but now is recognised as being synonymous with M. kitchingi.[1][2][3][4]
Scymnosaurus is estimated to have been approximately the size of the modern day hyena, and possessed teeth suggesting that it was carnivorous.[5]S. ferox was initially described as the second largest therocephalian, until the discovery of S.major, which is likely the largest therocephalian.[1][5][6]
It is notable that throughout the 19th century, Broom was involved with the work done with therocephalians and their classifications, and re-classifications, with paper and book publications ranging from 1903 to 1950.
^ abJ. Van Den Heever (1987), Dissertation Presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch
^Groenewald, D. P.; Kammerer, C. F. (2023). "Re-identification and updated stratigraphic context of the holotypes of the late Permian tetrapods Dicynodon ingens and Scymnosaurus warreni from KwaZulu-Natal". Palaeontologia africana. 56: 171–179. hdl:10539/37143.
^Abdala, Fernando; Kammerer, Christian F.; Day, Michael O.; Jirah, Sifelani; Rubidge, Bruce S. (2014). "Adult morphology of the therocephalian Simorhinella baini from the middle Permian of South Africa and the taxonomy, paleobiogeography, and temporal distribution of the Lycosuchidae". Journal of Paleontology. 88 (6): 1139–1153. doi:10.1666/13-186. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 129323281.
^Kammerer, C. F. (2023). "Revision of the Scylacosauridae (Therapsida: Therocephalia)". Palaeontologia Africana. 56: 51–87. hdl:10539/35700.
^ abBroom, Robert (1903). "On Some New Primitive Theriodonts". Annals of the South African Museum. 4.
^LYDEKKER, R. (1908). "The Year's Vertebrate Palæontology". Science Progress in the Twentieth Century (1906-1916). 2 (7): 501–524. JSTOR 43776634.
This specimen, like many fossils of Scymnosaurus, is only of the anterior portion of the skull. Later Scymnosaurus fossils have been recovered and recorded...
of the holotypes of the late Permian tetrapods Dicynodon ingens and Scymnosaurus warreni from KwaZulu-Natal". Palaeontologia africana. 56: 171–179. hdl:10539/37143...
named another species of therocephalian in 1907 from KwaZulu-Natal, Scymnosaurus warreni, that he later moved to Moschorhinus in 1932 as M. warreni, maintaining...
with skull of ~38 cm (15 in) long. The largest of therocephalians is Scymnosaurus, which reached a size of the modern hyena. The largest known non-mammalian...
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