Varanosaurus Temporal range:
Early Permian,
| |
---|---|
A reconstruction of Varanosaurus acutirostris | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Synapsida |
Family: | † Ophiacodontidae |
Genus: | †
Varanosaurus Broili, 1904 |
Type species | |
†Varanosaurus acutirostris Broili, 1904
| |
Species [1] | |
|
Varanosaurus (' monitor lizard') is an extinct genus of early ophiacodontid synapsid that lived during the Artinskian [2] and Kungurian ages of the Permian. [3]
As its name implies, Varanosaurus may have looked superficially similar to present-day monitor lizards[ citation needed], though not related at all.
Varanosaurus had a flattened, elongated skull and a pointed snout with a row of sharp teeth, including two pairs of conspicuous pseudocanines, implying that it was an active predator. [4]
Varanosaurus probably lived in swamps, competing with the larger Ophiacodon for food.[ citation needed]
Below is a cladogram modified from the analysis of Benson (2012): [5]
Varanosaurus Temporal range:
Early Permian,
| |
---|---|
A reconstruction of Varanosaurus acutirostris | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Synapsida |
Family: | † Ophiacodontidae |
Genus: | †
Varanosaurus Broili, 1904 |
Type species | |
†Varanosaurus acutirostris Broili, 1904
| |
Species [1] | |
|
Varanosaurus (' monitor lizard') is an extinct genus of early ophiacodontid synapsid that lived during the Artinskian [2] and Kungurian ages of the Permian. [3]
As its name implies, Varanosaurus may have looked superficially similar to present-day monitor lizards[ citation needed], though not related at all.
Varanosaurus had a flattened, elongated skull and a pointed snout with a row of sharp teeth, including two pairs of conspicuous pseudocanines, implying that it was an active predator. [4]
Varanosaurus probably lived in swamps, competing with the larger Ophiacodon for food.[ citation needed]
Below is a cladogram modified from the analysis of Benson (2012): [5]