Moschorhinus
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Moschorhinus Temporal range: Late Permian-Early Triassic |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | †Therocephalia |
| Family: | †Akidnognathidae |
| Genus: |
†Moschorhinus Broom, 1920 |
| Type species | |
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†Moschorhinus kitchingi Broom, 1920 |
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Moschorhinus is an extinct genus of therocephalian of the Akidnognathidea family. It was a carnivorous quadruped predator and lived primarily in the Permian period. Described by South African paleontologist Robert Broom in 1920, its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words μόσχος (mos'-khos) moschos for calf and rhino- for nose, referring to the broad, blunt shape of the snout.
Its short strong skull bore long straight canines and was up to lion-sized. It resembled the gorgonopsids, whose predatory role it appears to have replaced.
While most abundant in the late Permian, remains of Moschorhinus kitchingi have also been found in the earliest Triassic beds in the Karoo basin, showing that Moschorhinus did survive the Permian-Triassic extinction event, but disappeared soon afterwards. Although smaller than their Permian predecessors, Triassic Moschorhinus were the largest therocephalian predators of their time. An examination of the change in size between Moschorhinus fossils from before and after the mass extinction at the end of the Permian provides an excellent study of the Lilliput effects observable in species known to have survived an environmental catastrophe such as an extinction event.
Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words μόσχος (mos'-khos) moschos for calf or young animal, and rhin/rhino- for nose or snout. The species name, kitchingi, refers to Mr. James Kitching, who originally found (but did not describe) the specimen.
The first Moschorhinus specimen was discovered by Mr. James Kitching in the Karoo Beds of South Africa, near a New Bethesda Road. It was first described by paleontologist Robert Broom in 1920, who published his observations through the Zoological Society of London.
Many Therocephalian remains have been discovered in rocks in the Karoo Basin of South Africa from the Mid Permian through Mid Triassic assemblages. Moschorhinus remains have been found most prominently in the Beaufort Group of the Karoo Basin. They are often found very close to remains of the herbivorous dicynodonts. Specifically, remains of Moschorhinus kitchingi and many therocepahlians are uncovered in the Upper Permian Dicynodon (DAZ) and lower Triassic Lystrosaurus (LAZ) assemblage zones in the Karoo Basin of South Africa.
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