Titanophoneus

Titanophoneus Temporal range: Middle Permian, 268–265 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Titanophoneus potens skeleton
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Therapsida
Suborder:	†Dinocephalia
Family:	†Anteosauridae
Genus:	†Titanophoneus Efremov, 1938
Species:	†T. potens
Binomial name
†Titanophoneus potens Efremov, 1938
Synonyms
Doliosaurus

Titanophoneus ("titanic murderer") is an extinct genus of carnivorous dinocephalian therapsid from the Middle Permian. It is classified within the family Anteosauridae. The type species is Titanophoneus potens.^[1] Remains of Titanophoneus have been found at Isheevo in Russia.

An adult skull would have reached 80 cm with a heavy long snout. The long tail and short limbs show the species to be a primitive therapsid unlike Inostrancevia which was more advanced. The structure of the limbs and the density of the bone are designed for a sprawling stance. The temporal opening is more advanced than Estemmenosuchidae but less advanced than Inostrancevia. Total length would be 2.85 meters.^{[citation needed]}

The teeth are large with 12 large palate incisors followed by 2 canines and various smaller back teeth. The lower palate is the same as the upper but without the canine teeth. The appearance of Titanophoneus is reminiscent to the sphenacodontid pelycosaurs, which included Dimetrodon.

Gallery[]

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  Life restoration of Titanophoneus potens

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  Titanophoneus compared to a human

See also[]

• List of therapsids

References[]

• Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Thomas H. Rich (1993). The Great Russian Dinosaurs. Guntar Graphics. p. 36.

External links[]

• Taxonomy