Choerosaurus (therocephalian) cranial anatomy + Moschops (dinocephalian) paleoneurology (free pdfs)
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Ben Creisler
Sep 1, 2026, 2:06:21 PM (3 days ago) Sep 1
to DinosaurMa...@googlegroups.com
Ben Creisler
Recent synapsid papers:
Free pdf:
Alessandro Gigliotti, Luisa C. Pusch, Christian F. Kammerer, Julien Benoit & Jörg Fröbisch (2026)
Cranial anatomy of the baurioid therocephalian Choerosaurus dejageri with comments on secondary palate convergence in therocephalians and cynodonts
Frontiers in Mammal Science 5: 1869886
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmamm.2026.1869886
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/mammal-science/articles/10.3389/fmamm.2026.1869886/full
Permian members of the therocephalian clade Baurioidea remain much more poorly known than the extremely mammal-like Triassic representatives. Here, we describe the cranium of the single known specimen of the lycideopid baurioid Choerosaurus dejageri, based on high-resolution CT-imaging and provide comparisons with closely related taxa. Besides examining external anatomical characters like its characteristic cranial and dentary bosses, we provide important details on the previously obscure palatal morphology. The reconstruction of the holotype shows that this species represents an important transitional stage in the evolution of the therocephalian secondary palate. Complete secondary palates evolved independently three times in therapsids (incl. baurioid therocephalians and cynodonts). In Choerosaurus, the vomer plays the role of an important bracing element in the palate through a long suture with the maxillary shelves, known as the maxillo-vomerine bridge. This differs from the early cynodont condition and highlights different evolutionary origins of therocephalian and cynodont secondary palates. Moreover, similarities in the palatal morphology with Lycideops support the hypothesis of a close relationship between these two taxa.
Julien Benoit, Lars Schmitz, Kenneth D. Angielczyk, Luke A. Norton, Andrew D. Bolton, Adam Midzuk & Roger M. H. Smith (2026)
Exceptional preservation informs the paleobiology of tapinocephalid dinocephalians
The Anatomical Record (advance online publication)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.70297
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.70297
Free pdf:
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ar.70297
The tapinocephalid dinocephalian Moschops is one of the most iconic taxa of the middle Permian, yet its paleobiology remains one of the least well-known. Here, we address some aspects of paleoneurology and paleobiology of Moschops using CT scanning of four well preserved skulls from the upper Abrahamskraal Formation of South Africa. Two of the specimens preserve articulated scleral ossicle rings, the dimensions of which are more consistent with a diel activity pattern, although intermediate between diurnal, nocturnal, and cathemeral. The bony labyrinth for the inner ear (preserved in one specimen) has comparatively short semicircular canals, and the agility score aligns with those of modern large herbivores that are able to swim. This is consistent with previous hypotheses inferring that some tapinocephalid dinocephalians may have been semi-aquatic. The four individuals form a partial ontogenetic series, and we show that the endocast grows markedly with body size in Moschops, as does the encephalization quotient. The latter is an unusual pattern for vertebrates. We also report the first possible evidence for the preservation of soft brain tissues in a non-mammalian synapsid, which sparks exciting perspectives for future studies of non-mammalian synapsid paleoneurology.
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Free pdf:
Alessandro Gigliotti, Luisa C. Pusch, Christian F. Kammerer, Julien Benoit & Jörg Fröbisch (2026)
Cranial anatomy of the baurioid therocephalian Choerosaurus dejageri with comments on secondary palate convergence in therocephalians and cynodonts
Frontiers in Mammal Science 5: 1869886
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmamm.2026.1869886
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/mammal-science/articles/10.3389/fmamm.2026.1869886/full
Permian members of the therocephalian clade Baurioidea remain much more poorly known than the extremely mammal-like Triassic representatives. Here, we describe the cranium of the single known specimen of the lycideopid baurioid Choerosaurus dejageri, based on high-resolution CT-imaging and provide comparisons with closely related taxa. Besides examining external anatomical characters like its characteristic cranial and dentary bosses, we provide important details on the previously obscure palatal morphology. The reconstruction of the holotype shows that this species represents an important transitional stage in the evolution of the therocephalian secondary palate. Complete secondary palates evolved independently three times in therapsids (incl. baurioid therocephalians and cynodonts). In Choerosaurus, the vomer plays the role of an important bracing element in the palate through a long suture with the maxillary shelves, known as the maxillo-vomerine bridge. This differs from the early cynodont condition and highlights different evolutionary origins of therocephalian and cynodont secondary palates. Moreover, similarities in the palatal morphology with Lycideops support the hypothesis of a close relationship between these two taxa.
=====
Free pdf:
Julien Benoit, Lars Schmitz, Kenneth D. Angielczyk, Luke A. Norton, Andrew D. Bolton, Adam Midzuk & Roger M. H. Smith (2026)
Exceptional preservation informs the paleobiology of tapinocephalid dinocephalians
The Anatomical Record (advance online publication)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.70297
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.70297
Free pdf:
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ar.70297
The tapinocephalid dinocephalian Moschops is one of the most iconic taxa of the middle Permian, yet its paleobiology remains one of the least well-known. Here, we address some aspects of paleoneurology and paleobiology of Moschops using CT scanning of four well preserved skulls from the upper Abrahamskraal Formation of South Africa. Two of the specimens preserve articulated scleral ossicle rings, the dimensions of which are more consistent with a diel activity pattern, although intermediate between diurnal, nocturnal, and cathemeral. The bony labyrinth for the inner ear (preserved in one specimen) has comparatively short semicircular canals, and the agility score aligns with those of modern large herbivores that are able to swim. This is consistent with previous hypotheses inferring that some tapinocephalid dinocephalians may have been semi-aquatic. The four individuals form a partial ontogenetic series, and we show that the endocast grows markedly with body size in Moschops, as does the encephalization quotient. The latter is an unusual pattern for vertebrates. We also report the first possible evidence for the preservation of soft brain tissues in a non-mammalian synapsid, which sparks exciting perspectives for future studies of non-mammalian synapsid paleoneurology.
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