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Cynodonta, or 'dog teeth', were one of the most diverse groups of therapsids. Their teeth were fully differentiated, the braincase bulged at the back of the head, and many of them walked in an upright manner unlike other reptiles. Cynodonts still laid eggs, as all Mesozoic proto-mammals probably did. They also were among the groups which survived the Permian mass extinction. The most derived cynodonts are found within Eucynodontia clade, which also contains the members of Mammalia. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ...
Binomial name Aptenodytes forsteri Gray, 1844 For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...
Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with...
Clades Caseasauria Eupelycosauria Edaphosauridae Sphenacodontia Sphenacodontidae Therapsida Synapsids (fused arch), formerly known as mammal-like reptiles, are a class of amniotes (the other being the sauropsids) that developed one hole in their skull (temporal fenestra) behind each eye, about 320 million years ago (Ma) during the late Carboniferous. ...
Suborders Biarmosuchia Dinocephalia Eotheriodontia Anomodontia Gorgonopsia Therocephalia Cynodontia Therapsids, previously known as the mammal-like reptiles, are an order of synapsids. ...
Greek clados = branch) or phylogenetic systematics is a branch of biology that determines the evolutionary relationships of living things based on derived similarities. ...
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Clades Adelobasileus Sinoconodon Morganucodonta Docodonta Hadrocodium Mammalia Mammaliaformes is a clade that contains the mammals and their closest extinct relatives. ...
Groups Biarmosuchia Dinocephalia Anomodontia Theriodontia Cynodontia (...mammals) Therapsids, previously known as the mammal-like reptiles, are a group of synapsids. ...
The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ...
The Permian-Triassic (P-T or PT) extinction event, sometimes informally called the Great Dying, was an extinction event that occurred approximately 252 million years ago (mya), forming the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods. ...
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A clade is group of organisms which share a common ancestor and which includes all decendents of that ancestor. ...
Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (includes extinct ancestors)/Placentalia (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes...
The mammal-like structure of Cynodonts hints that all mammals have descended from a single group of cynodonts. Representative genera include the large carnivorous cynognathids, equally large herbivorous traversodonts, and small and mammal-like tritylodontids and ictidosaurs. It is likely that Cynodonts were at least partially if not completely warm-blooded, covered with hair, which would have insulated them and helped to maintain a high body temperature. Species Ref. ...
During their evolution, cynodonts changed their teeth from being designed for catching and holding prey and then swallowing whole, to adding specialized teeth, including molars, designed for better mastication of food allowing for quicker digestion. Additionally, the jaw of the cynodonts reduced the number of jaw bones. This freed up the superfluous bones to evolve into an entirely new function, becoming parts of the mammal's inner ear. Mastication or chewing is the process by which food is torn and/or crushed by teeth. ...
Improved hearing gave these creatures a better awareness of their environment and, in turn, this increasing sensitivity called for a greater capacity for processing the auditory information in the brain. Cynodonts also developed a secondary palate in the roof of the mouth. This allowed air to flow to the lungs through the back of the mouth, allowing cynodonts to chew and breathe at the same time. This characteristic is present in all mammals.
Genera of Cynodonts
- Cynognathus
- Procynosuchus
- Thrinaxodon
- Exaeretodon
- Massetognathus
- Ecteninion
- Probainognathus
- Diademodon
- Traversodon
- Ischignathus
- Beinotherium
- Tritylodon
- Oligokyphus
- Kayentatherium
Species Ref. ...
Thrinaxodon was a cynodont. ...
Species Ref. ...
Species Ref. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
Oligokyphus was an advanced herbivorous cynodont of the late Triassic to late Jurassic periods. ...
References - Hopson, J.A. & J.W. Kitching (2001). "A probainognathian cynodont from South Africa and the phylogeny of non-mammalian cynodonts." Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 156: 5-35.
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