Here we describe new material of tetrapod tracks and swimming traces from the Konberg quarry, a tracksite of the late middle Permian Hornburg Formation in Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. A relatively well-preserved trackway and several isolated imprints are assigned to Capitosauroides isp. Among others, toe proportions in the manus and pes footprints of the newly described specimens and the long, proximal and detached pedal digit V imprint are similar to the type ichnospecies Capitosauroides bernburgensis from the Early Triassic of Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt. In these features the new Konberg material differs from other ichnotaxa, such as Amphisauropus and Varanopus, which may look similar in their relative length of the sole, digit proportions and/or in the digit tip imprint morphology. The comparatively large manus imprint, which is wider than long, the relative length and shape of the sole impression, the digit proportions that are indicative for a more ectaxonic manus a more mesaxonic pes, the low pace angulation and the low imprint-size-normalized stride length in the Konberg track type are distinct from C. bernburgensis. It shares, however, a certain similarity with recently described material of Capitosauroides from middle-late Permian tracksites. These observations are in agreement with the results of a multivariate analysis including Capitosauroides and morphologically similar ichnotaxa. Our findings would justify the erection of a new ichnospecies if more trackways with a similar or slightly better preservation were at hand. Hornburg Formation material previously assigned to Amphisauropus is herein considered as indetermined tetrapod tracks, whereas the oc-currence of Dromopus isp. is confirmed. This reassignment shortens the stratigraphic range of the ichnogenus Amphisauropus,which appears to be restricted to the early Permian, since younger occurrences are questionable. In agreement with the attribution of Capitosauroides to eutheriodont producers, we regard the Konberg material assigned to this ichnogenus as tracks of small and possibly semi-aquatic therapsids. Abundant tetrapod swimming traces that co-occur with Capitosauroides isp. on the same bedding planes are interpreted as having been made by the same group of producers. The subaquatic traces often consist of short parallel claw mark sets. In agreement with a derived amniote producer group, they indicate propulsion by parasagittal limb movement rather than axial undulation.
I describe the anterior part of the externally poorly preserved skull of a therocephalian from the Karoo Basin in South Africa, using the method of serial grinding. The skull is incomplete, and its estimated length in life is 130 mm. The skull can be assigned to the Akidnognathidae with some confidence. The stratigraphic age of the specimen and its locality are not known, but the surrounding sediment suggests that it may be from the Upper Permian Dicynodon Assemblage Zone. It has five or six postcanine teeth, and a poorly developed crista choanalis. The sinuses and canals of the snout are recognized, and it is believed that the sinus positioned posteriorly in the snout (posterior maxillary sinus) is homologous with the maxillary sinus of anomodonts and cynodonts. It also shows similarities to the infraorbital canal of early mammals, such as Morganucodon. An anteriorly positioned sinus (anterior maxillary sinus), situated directly behind the canine root, is homologized with the maxillary sinus of gorgonopsians. In addition, I identify the previously undescribed canal (designated anterior maxillary canal), leading from the anterior maxillary sinus antero−dorsally. No evidence for maxilloturbinals was found in contrast to the condition known in the primitive therocephalian Glanosuchus
The distant evolutionary ancestry of mammals is documented by a rich therapsid fossil record. While sphenacodontid synapsids are considered the sister−group of therapsids, the place of origin of therapsids is an enigma, largely because of a long standing morphological and temporal gap (Olson’s Gap) in their fossil record. We describe a new large predatory synapsid, Raranimus dashankouensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Permian of Dashankou in China which has a unique combination of therapsid and sphenacodontid features. This specimen is of great significance asit is a basal therapsid which is the sister taxon to all other therapsids. The fact that it was found in association with Early Permian tetrapods (Anakamacops and Belebey) suggests that it is the oldest therapsid and provides the first evidence of therapsid−bearing rocks which cover Olson’s Gap. It further supports that therapsids may have had a Laurasian rather than Gondwanan origin.
The affinities of the Early Permian synapsid Tetraceratops insignis have been reevaluated several times since the early 20th century, being considered as an eothyridid, a sphenacodontid, or a therapsid. This controversy continues into the 21st century, with recently raised doubts about the interpretation of Tetraceratops as the oldest known therapsid, a hypothesis supported by the only redescription of this fossil in the second half of the 20th century. Our study examines the arguments proposed to refute therapsid affinities, and concludes that Tetraceratops indeed is the sister−group of all other known therapsids. The most recently published phylogenetic data matrix that includes Tetraceratops fails to confirm its therapsid affinities. However, adding seven characters to that matrix leads to the conclusion that Tetraceratops is the basal−most and oldest therapsid. The recent suggestion of a Laurasian origin of therapsids appears poorly supported; too few data are available on the distribution of Permian synapsids to settle this question.
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