Ophiacodontidae

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Ophiacodontidae
Temporal range:
Ma
Mounted skeleton of
Ophiacodon retroversus in the American Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade:
Metopophora
Family: †Ophiacodontidae
Nopcsa
, 1923
Subgroups[1]

Ophiacodontidae is an

theriodonts, and the diapsid
reptiles.

Characteristics

Ophiacodon mirus restoration.

The lifestyle of ophiacodonts has long been controversial. Some studies suggested that they were semi-aquatic, and some even suggested a fairly aquatic lifestyle, but a recent study based on a quantitative inference model[3] suggested that both Clepsydrops and Ophiacodon were terrestrial.[4] Vertebral morphometric data also support, though ambiguously, a rather terrestrial lifestyle for Ophiacodon,[5] which could reach a length of 3.6 m (12 ft).[6]

varanids
in body proportions, while others were larger with elongated skulls and massive shoulder girdles, probably to provide muscle attachment to support the weight of the large head.

Classification

Traditionally,

synapsid. Echinerpeton and Sterophallodon were included for the first time in a phylogenetic analysis by Benson (2012).[7] Echinerpeton was found to be a wildcard taxon due to its small amount of known materials. It occupies three possible positions, falling either as the most basal synapsid, as the sister taxon of Caseasauria plus more derived taxa, or as an ophiacodontid more derived than Archaeothyris. Below is a cladogram modified from the analysis of Benson (2012),[7] after the exclusion of Echinerpeton:[7]

Tseajaia campi

Limnoscelis paludis

Amniota

Captorhinus spp.

Protorothyris archeri

Synapsida
Ophiacodontidae

Archaeothyris florensis

Varanosaurus acutirostris

Ophiacodon spp.

Stereophallodon ciscoensis

Varanopidae

Archaeovenator hamiltonensis

Pyozia mesenensis

Mycterosaurus longiceps

?

Elliotsmithia longiceps
(BP/1/5678)

Heleosaurus scholtzi

Mesenosaurus romeri

Varanops brevirostris

Watongia meieri

Varanodon agilis

Ruthiromia elcobriensis

Aerosaurus wellesi

Aerosaurus greenleorum

References

  1. S2CID 202847907
    .
  2. PMID 34966586
    .
  3. doi:10.1111/bij.12066
    .
  4. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2015.01.001
    .
  5. ISBN 978-94-007-6840-6
    .
  6. ^ The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals
  7. ^
    S2CID 84706899
    .

External links
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