Loading AI tools
Extinct genus of synapsids From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Varanosaurus ('monitor lizard') is an extinct genus of early ophiacodontid synapsid that lived during the Artinskian[2] and Kungurian ages of the Permian.[3]
Varanosaurus Temporal range: Early Permian, | |
---|---|
A reconstruction of Varanosaurus acutirostris | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Synapsida |
Family: | †Ophiacodontidae |
Genus: | †Varanosaurus Broili, 1904 |
Type species | |
†Varanosaurus acutirostris Broili, 1904 | |
Species[1] | |
|
As its name implies, Varanosaurus may have looked superficially similar to present-day monitor lizards[citation needed], though not related at all.
Varanosaurus had a flattened, elongated skull and a pointed snout with a row of sharp teeth, including two pairs of conspicuous pseudocanines, implying that it was an active predator.[4]
Varanosaurus probably lived in swamps, competing with the larger Ophiacodon for food.[citation needed]
Below is a cladogram modified from the analysis of Benson (2012):[5]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.