Ctenorhachis

Sten-o-rak-is.
Published on

Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Ctenorhachis ‭(‬comb spine‭)‬.

Phonetic

Sten-o-rak-is.

Named By

R.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Hook‭ & ‬N.‭ ‬Hotton‭ ‬-‭ ‬1991.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Synapsida,‭ ‬Sphenacodontidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

C.‭ ‬jacksoni‭

Size

Uncertain due to lack of remains.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Texas‭ ‬-‭ ‬Wichita Group.

Time Period

Early Permian.

Fossil representation

Partial post cranial‭ ‬remains,‭ ‬including vertebrae and pelvis.

In Depth

       Ctenorhachis is a genus of sphenacodont that lived in North America during the Permian.‭ ‬Although the skull of Ctenorhachis is unknown,‭ ‬the available fossil material for the genus show that Ctenorhachis was a sphenacodontid.‭ ‬So far all members of the Sphenacodontidae were predators in life,‭ ‬so by extension we can conclude that Ctenorhachis would have been a predator as well.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A New Sphenacodontid Pelycosaur‭ (‬Synapsida‭) ‬from the Wichita Group,‭ ‬Lower Permian of North-Central Texas.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology‭ ‬11‭(‬1‭)‬:37-44.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Hook‭ & ‬N.‭ ‬Hotton‭ ‬-‭ ‬1991.

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