Phonodus

Fon-o-dus.
Published on

Liam Carter

Paleoanthropologist

Liam Carter explores the roots of humanity by studying early human fossils and artifacts. His ground-breaking work has provided a deeper understanding of our ancestors' lifestyles and social structures.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Phonodus.

Phonetic

Fon-o-dus.

Named By

S.‭ ‬P.‭ ‬Modesto,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Scott,‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Botha-Brink‭ & ‬R.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Reisz‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Parareptilia,‭ ‬Procolophonomorpha,‭ ‬Procolophonidae,‭ ‬Leptopleuroninae.

Diet

Durophagovore‭?

Species

P.‭ ‬dutoitorum‭

Size

Skull roughly about‭ ‬26‭ ‬millimetres long.

Known locations

South Africa‭ ‬-‭ ‬Katberg Formation.

Time Period

Induan of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

Partial skull.

In Depth

       Phonodus has been described as a genus of procolophonid that lived in South Africa during the earliest part of the Permian.‭ ‬With Phonodus being the fifth such genus from this time and location,‭ ‬this suggests that the procolophonids survived fairly well during the extinction that signalled the end of the Permian.‭ ‬Phonodus is noted for having proportionately large and robust teeth as well as strongly developed tooth bearing bones,‭ ‬features suggestive of a durophagus diet.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A new and unusual procolophonid parareptile from the Lower Triassic Katberg Formation of South Africa.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology‭ ‬30‭(‬3‭)‬:715-723.‭ ‬-‭ ‬S.‭ ‬P.‭ ‬Modesto,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Scott,‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Botha-Brink‭ & ‬R.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Reisz‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

Never Miss a New Species or Fossil Discovery!

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Megalodon illustration