Procolophonoidea

Extinct superfamily of reptiles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Procolophonoidea is an extinct superfamily of procolophonian parareptiles. Members were characteristically small, stocky, and lizard-like in appearance. Fossils have been found worldwide from many continents including Antarctica.[1] The first members appeared during the Late Permian in the Karoo Basin of South Africa.[2]

Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Suborder:Procolophonia
Superfamily:Procolophonoidea
Broom, 1939
Quick facts Scientific classification, Families ...
Procolophonoids
Temporal range: 265–201.3 Ma Middle Wordian - Late Rhaetian
Skeleton of Kapes bentoni (Procolophonidae, Procolophoninae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Suborder: Procolophonia
Superfamily: Procolophonoidea
Broom, 1939
Families
Synonyms
  • Procolophoniformes De Braga & Rieppel, 1997
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Taxonomy

Procolophonoidea includes the families Owenettidae and Procolophonidae. Sclerosaurus, which is placed within its own family Sclerosauridae, may be a member of the superfamily as well. In 1997, De Braga and Rieppel defined this same taxon (the oldest common ancestor of Procolophonidae and Owenettidae and all its descendants) using the name Procolophoniformes.[3]

When the superfamily was constructed in 1956, it was thought to be within the anthracosaur suborder Diadectomorpha.[4] Since then it has been placed within the suborder Procolophonia along with the pareiasaurs, a group of large herbivorous Permian parareptiles.[5][6][7][8]

Sclerosaurus armatus
Cladogram of Procolophonoidea, excluding members of Procolophonidae
Procolophonoidea
Cisneros et al. 2004[9]
Cladogram of Procolophonidae
Modesto et al. 2001[10]

References

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