Bauria
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Bauria Temporal range: Early Triassic, 251–246 Ma |
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| Restoration of Bauria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Synapsida |
| Order: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | Therocephalia |
| Family: | Bauriidae |
| Subfamily: | Bauriinae |
| Genus: | Bauria |
| Species: | Bauria cynops, Bauria robusta |
Bauria is an extinct genus of the suborder therocephalia that existed during the Early Triassic period, around 246-251 million years ago. It belonged to the family Bauriidae. Bauria was probably a carnivore or insectivore. It can be described as a "mammal-like reptile". It lived in South Africa, specifically in the Burgersdorp Formation in South Africa.
Bauria was named by Robert Broom in 1909 and found at Winnaarsbaken, South Africa. The first species Broom discovered, Bauria cynops, was a reasonably complete skull, but according to the first description somewhat poorly preserved, and apparently equally poorly prepared. Five other specimens were later found at different points in time, with mostly skulls being found.
Only two species of Bauria are known, with the most recent one, Bauria robusta, being discovered by J. W. Kitching in 1955 in the Burghersdorp district
In a recent paper, it has been found that Microgomphodon oligocynus and Bauria cynops are recognized as the only valid species of southern African bauriids.
† Bauria
Based on Brink's analysis of skull and lower jaw features in 1963, Bauria is a therapsid sufficiently different from Scaloposaurus and its allies to warrant distinction at the infraorder level. It was suggested that a suborder be recognized level with Gorgonopsia, Therocephalia, Cynodontia and Ictidosauria and that this suborder be called Scaloposauria. The suborder Scaloposauria should be divided into two infraorders, the earlier Ictodosuchoidea and the later Bauriamorpha, a natural branch separate from the suborder Cynodontia.
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