Harman Patil (Editor)

Keratocephalus

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Kingdom
  
Order
  
Family
  
Scientific name
  
Keratocephalus

Rank
  
Genus

Phylum
  
Chordata

Suborder
  
Species
  
†K. moloch

Higher classification
  
Tapinocephalidae

Keratocephalus keratocephalus DeviantArt

Similar
  
Tapinocephalidae, Struthiocephalus, Riebeeckosaurus, Tapinocephalus, Therapsid

Keratocephalus ("horned head") is an extinct genus of tapinocephalian therapsid from the early Capitanian age of South Africa. It was found in the Lower and Middle Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo deposits, in the Lower Beaufort Beds in Beaufort West.

Contents

Keratocephalus Keratocephalus Updated by WillemSvdMerwe on DeviantArt

Description

Keratocephalus httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

It was 2.5 to 3 m (8 ft 2 in to 9 ft 10 in) long, with 50 cm (20 in) long skull and had a mass of 700 to 1,000 kg (1,500 to 2,200 lb) with a variable snout length, variable pachyostosis with a nasofrontal boss raised into a horn-like shape.

Classification

Keratocephalus moloch, known from a number of greatly variable skulls, along with postcrania, from the Lower and Middle Tapinocephalus zone, shows considerable variability in the pachyostotic development. It may be not as derived as Tapinocephalus. The naso-frontal boss is raised into a sort of horn (hence the name - "horned head") and the length of the snout varies greatly. This in itself throws doubt on Boonstra's distinction between short and long-snouted forms. Pelosuchus, known only on the basis of postcranial features, is a synonym.


Keratocephalus Clipart of Keratocephalus 3D Dinosaur 3D Render of an

References

Keratocephalus Wikipedia


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