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Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida pp 165–169Cite as

Theriodontia: Introduction

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Abstract

Theriodonts include three major clades: Gorgonopsia, Therocephalia, and Cynodontia (including Mammalia). The monophyly of Eutheriodontia (Therocephalia+Cynodontia) is well supported, but the association of Gorgonopsia with these groups requires further testing. Gorgonopsians in general require extensive revision, and no phylogeny of the clade currently exists. This section introduces two advances in gorgonopsian research: a redescription and review of the earliest known gorgonopsians from the Middle Permian of South Africa and a redescription of an exceptionally complete gorgonopsian from the Late Permian of Tanzania. New data on the Middle Triassic bauriid therocephalians from southern Africa, including three-dimensional morphometric comparisons, is introduced. Two cynodont studies are included, one reviewing herbivorous traversodontid cynodonts and presenting a new phylogeny, and one redescribing the problematic traversodontid “Scalenodon” hirschsoni.

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Author notes

  1. Christian F. Kammerer

    Present address: Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstra. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

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  1. Division of Paleontology and Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA

    Christian F. Kammerer

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Correspondence to Christian F. Kammerer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Paleontology and Richard Gilder, Graduate School American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA

    Christian F. Kammerer

  2. Department of Geology, Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Kenneth D. Angielczyk

  3. Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Jörg Fröbisch

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Kammerer, C.F. (2014). Theriodontia: Introduction. In: Kammerer, C., Angielczyk, K., Fröbisch, J. (eds) Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6841-3_10

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