Patranomodon

Patranomodon Temporal range: Middle Permian–Late Permian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Synapsida
Order:	Therapsida
Suborder:	Anomodontia
Genus:	Patranomodon
Species:	P. nyaphulii

Patranomodon (from Greek, patra meaning “father”, “father of anomodonts”) is an extinct genus belonging to the group of anomodontia. Rubidge and Hopson named this anomodont after discovering its skull.Anomodontia is a group of terrestrial organisms that roamed the land on four limbs. Other genus belonging to the same group of anomodontia include Suminia, being the most complete basal anomodont, however Patranomodon being the most primitive.Patranomodon is the sister taxon to Dicynodon, which belongs to the group of Dicynodontia. Dicynodontia is known to be a carnivore unlike the Patranomodon, whom feeds on plant material. It is also a sister taxa to Galechirus, Galeops, and Galepus. Patranomodon believed to range in the Karoo of Southern Africa, however it is proposed that anomodonts ranged from the European continent (known as today) to the southern region of Africa as well as China and India. This is because the continents that we know today as Europe, Asia, and Africa, were connected in one very large land mass. This land mass was walk-able for many terrestrial organisms, and was called Pangaean. Patranomodon roamed this planet during the middle to late Permian era, which were about 268 to 265 million years ago. These land dwelling creatures belong to a group of Synapsida Therapsida.

Derived from only one nearly completed skull, Patranomodon nyaphulii is the most primitive genus of anomodontia based on its morphological features compared to its sister taxon, Dicynodontia. Patranomodon have a short exposure of their palatine and premaxilla, in which creates a shorter face compared to other anomodontons. This gives the Patranomodon a shorter facial structure, shorter in length as well as small in size. They also have a reduced tabular, a slit-like interpterygoid vacuity, three sacral vertebrae, as well as a screw-shape jaw. Patranomodon has many features indicating its herbivorous behaviors. The division of the external adductor muscles in the jaw into two separate components, the medial and lateral side, as well as using a propalinal jaw movement while feeding on plant material. This feature is important for the diet of the anomodont because being able to grind down tough plant matter is necessary for survival. The teeth formation of the Patranomodon allows crushing and grinding to occur with the way the jaws connect and move. Other aspects include widening of the palatal areas for breaking down plant matter in feeding, widening of the external adductors, the higher raised jaw hinge, reduction in the number of teeth as well as the size, and acquiring a horn that covers to the jaw. A key feature of the anomodontia is its raised zygamatic arch. This feature allows for jaw muscles to connect and form as powerful jaws began to develop further. The teeth of the Patranomodon fit perfectly together when the upper and lower jaw came together and the mouth is closed. They also possessed a complete set of teeth. The conversion from its ancestor being a carnivore to Patranomodon being herbivore occurred rapidly when compared to the longevity of the species of anomodonts. Sister taxa to the Patranomodon and the anomodonts were believed to be carnivorous, consuming other organism as their diet. The relative size of these terrestrial organisms is about the size of your average day mongoose. The average size of a mongoose is about 15 inches long, which means these species is relatively small compared to the average human. This is based on the small skull of the Patranomodon that was found.