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Galesauridae

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Extinct family of cynodonts

Galesaurids
Temporal range: Late Permian-Middle Triassic, 259–242 Ma PreꞒ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Galesaurus plancipes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Clade: Cynodontia
Clade: Epicynodontia
Family: Galesauridae
Lyddeker, 1890
Genera

Galesauridae is an extinct family of cynodonts. Along with the family Thrinaxodontidae and the extensive clade Eucynodontia (which includes mammals), it makes up the unranked taxon called Epicynodontia. Galesaurids first appeared in the very latest Permian period, just a million years (or perhaps only a thousand years) before the greatest extinction of all time, the Permian-Triassic extinction event.

Galesaurids are some of the most primitive of the Epicynodontia. They may have resembled basal cynodonts such as the Procynosuchidae, and they may have descended from a procynosuchid-like ancestor, but the galesaurids were more advanced than the basal Cynodontia. It is clear that, like many other epicynodontians, many Galesaurids had a complete secondary palate, which allowed them to swallow food while breathing, and the dentary bone was enlarged relative to those of their ancestors. Their temporal fenestrae are much larger than those of the procynosuchids, but not as large as in more advanced epicynodontians. Their snouts are broad, rather than tall, and they may have walked erect, with the legs beneath the body like most other cynodontians.

Galesaurid fossils are found almost worldwide. They were among the survivors of the Permian-Triassic extinction event, but they became extinct in the Middle Triassic epoch, as did the therocephalians. Genera of the family Galesauridae include the namesake Galesaurus.

References

  1. Abdala, Fernando (2003-01-01). "Galesaurid cynodonts from the Early Triassic of South Africa : another example of conflicting distribution of characters in non-mammalian cynodonts : research letter". South African Journal of Science. 99 (1): 95–96. hdl:10520/EJC97577.
  2. Kemp, T. S. (2005). The Origin and Evolution of Mammals. OUP Oxford. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-19-850761-1.
Cynodontia
Synapsida
Cynodontia
    • see below↓
Cynodontia
Cynodontia
Charassognathidae
Procynosuchidae
Epicynodontia
Galesauridae
Eucynodontia
Cynognathia
Probainognathia
    • see below↓
Abdalodon diastematicus Galesaurus planiceps
Probainognathia
Probainognathia
Chiniquodontidae
Probainognathidae
Ecteniniidae
Prozostrodontia
Prozostrodontidae
Tritheledontidae
Mammaliamorpha
Tritylodontidae
Mammaliaformes
    • see below↓
Chiniquodon theotonicus

Riograndia guaibensis

Oligokyphus triserialis
Mammaliaformes
Mammaliaformes
Kuehneotheriidae
Shuotheriidae
Docodonta
Haramiyida
Euharamiyida
Hahnodontidae?
Crown-Mammalia
Morganucodon watsoni Docofossor brachydactylus
See also
Incertae sedis
Paraphyletic /
Polyphyletic groups
Taxon identifiers
Galesauridae


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