Elphidae
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| Elphidae Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Clade: | †Anomodontia |
| Clade: | †Dicynodontia |
| Clade: | †Bidentalia |
| Family: | †Elphidae Kurkin, 2010 |
| Genera | |
| |
Elphidae is a clade of bidentalian dicynodonts containing Elph, Katumbia, and Interpresosaurus.[1][2] It is exclusively known from the Late Permian of Russia and Tanzania. Elphidae is variously recovered as either at the base of a paraphyletic Cryptodontia,[2] or as basal dicynodontoids.[3]
The clade Elphinae was erected by Kurkin (2010) to pertain to a clade containing Elph and Interpresosaurus, two dicynodonts from Late Permian Russia. This clade was diagnosed by a sharply shortened preorbital skull, relatively small tusks located below the anterior orbit, and maxillae with depressions located below the naris.[4] Elphinae is often recovered forming a clade with the Tanzanian Katumbia,[1] to which the name Elphidae can be applied under the rules of the ICZN.[2]
