Anteosaurus

Anteosaurus Temporal range: Capitanian, 266–260 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
A. magnificus skull, Iziko Museum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	Therapsida
Suborder:	†Dinocephalia
Family:	†Anteosauridae
Genus:	†Anteosaurus
Species:	†A. magnificus
Binomial name
Anteosaurus magnificus Watson 1921
Synonyms
Genus synonymy Eccasaurus (?) Broom, 1909 Titanognathus Broili & Schröder, 1935 Dinosuchus Broom, 1936 Broomosuchus Camp, 1942 Micranteosaurus Boonstra, 1954 Paranteosaurus (?) Boonstra, 1954 Pseudanteosaurus Boonstra, 1954 Species synonymy Eccasaurus priscus (?) Broom, 1909 Anteosaurus minor Broom, 1929 Titanognathus lotzi Broili & Schröder, 1935 Dinosuchus vorsteri Broom, 1936 Broomosuchus vorsteri Camp, 1942 Anteosaurus abeli Boonstra, 1952 Anteosaurus vorsteri Boonstra, 1953 Titanosuchus lotzi Boonstra, 1953 Anteosuchus acutirostris Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus crassifrons Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus cruentus Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus laticeps Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus levops Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus lotzi Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus major Boonstra, 1954 Anteosaurus minusculus Boonstra, 1954 Paranteosaurus primus (?) Boonstra, 1954 Pseudanteosaurus minor Boonstra, 1954 Micranteosaurus parvus Boonstra, 1954

Anteosaurus (meaning "Antaeus reptile") is an extinct genus of large carnivorous synapsid. It lived during the Capitanian epoch of the Middle Permian (266-260 million years ago) in what is now South Africa. They became extinct by the middle Late Permian.

Anteosaurus had a tall, narrow skull, which is 80 centimetres (31 in) long. It was perhaps the largest known carnivorous non-mammalian synapsid, estimated at 5–6 m (16–20 ft) in length and 500 to 600 kg (1,100 to 1,300 lb) in weight.

The teeth are another identifying characteristic of Anteosaurus. The teeth on the roof of the mouth are enlarged and confined in a cluster near the outer tooth row. The "normal teeth" include the anterior, canine and cheek teeth. A prominent feature of the dinocephalians is the ledge on the anterior teeth. The canine teeth are big, and there are usually about ten cheek teeth present. The front of the mouth curves up due to the premaxillary bone of the upper jaw.

As defined by Boonstra, "a genus of anteosaurids in which the postfrontal forms a boss of variable size overhanging the dorso-posterior border of the orbit." On this basis he synonymised six of the seven genera named from the Tapinocephalus zone: Eccasaurus, Anteosaurus, Titanognathus, Dinosuchus, Micranteosaurus, and Pseudanteosaurus. Of these, he says, Dinosuchus and Titanognathus can safely be considered synonyms of Anteosaurus. Eccasaurus, with a holotype of which the cranial material consists of only few typical anteosaurid incisors, appears to be only determinable as to family. The skull fragment forming the holotype of Pseudanteosaurus can best be considered as an immature specimen of Anteosaurus. Micranteosaurus, the holotype of which contains a small snout, was previously considered a new genus on account of its small size but is better be interpreted as a young specimen of Anteosaurus. And likewise, the large number of species attributed to the genus Anteosaurus can also be considered synonyms. Boonstra still considers as valid the genus Paranteosaurus, which is defined as a genus of anteosaurids in which the postfrontal is not developed to form a boss. This is probably an example of individual variation and hence another synonym of Anteosaurus.

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