Arctognathus

Ark-to-nay-fuss.
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Claire Morris

Marine Paleontologist

Claire Morris has dedicated her career to exploring the depths of prehistoric oceans. Her fascination with ancient marine life has led her to discover significant fossils that illuminate the evolution of early sea creatures.

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Name

Arctognathus ‭(‬bear jaw‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ark-to-nay-fuss.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Therapsida,‭ ‬Gorgonopsidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

A.‭ ‬curvimola‭

Size

18‭ ‬centimetre skull,‭ ‬Body about‭ ‬1.1‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

South Africa.

Time Period

Late Permian.

Fossil representation

Several specimens.

In Depth

       With a body length of just over one meter,‭ ‬Arctognathus was on the small side for a gorgonopsid,‭ ‬but it still would have been a potent predator in its own right.‭ Two additional species of Arctognathus once existed,‭ ‬but these have now been assigned‭ ‬to new genera.‭ ‬Fossils of Arctognathus cookei have now been moved to Anoplosaurus,‭ ‬though they are also indeterminate.‭ ‬Arctognathus nasuta fossils have now been used to establish the type species of the genus Njalila.

Further Reading

– Cranial osteology of Arctognathus curvimola, a short-snouted gorgonopsian from the Late Permian of South Africa. – Papers in Palaeontology – Christian F. Kammerer – 2014.

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