Thuringothyris mahlendorffae (MNG 7729, Boy and Martens 1991, Müller et al. 2006) Artinskian, Early Permian, ~280 mya, ~10 cm snout-vent length, was a basal reptile and a basal captorhinomorph (captorhinid). Thuringothyris was derived from a sister to Bruketererpeton and phylogenetically preceded Cephalerpeton and Saurorictus.
Distinct from Bruktererpeton, the skull of Thuringothyris was broader both anteriorly and posteriorly. The skull was at least twice as wide as tall. The snout was constricted in dorsal view. The postorbital portion of the skull was longer than the orbit. The nasals had parallel lateral margins. The frontal width/length ratio was more than 1:4. The postparietals were angled toward the occiput. The mandible was straighter, but the tip decended. The teeth were smaller. Apparently the former intertemporal fused to the parietal.
The vertebrae had taller neural spines. The caudals series was short.
The radius and ulna were half as long.
The ilium had an elongate posterior process. The femur was robust. |
