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Type: Articles
Published: 2011-09-15
Page range: 19-28
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A new carnivorous cynodont (Synapsida, Therapsida) from the Brazilian Mid-dle Triassic (Santa Maria Formation): Candelariodon barberenai gen. et sp. nov.

Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas. Avenida Transnordestina, S/N, Bairro Novo Horizonte, CEP 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Geociências, Departamento de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia. Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Caixa Postal 15001, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Geociências, Departamento de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia. Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Caixa Postal 15001, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Museu Municipal Aristides Carlos Rodrigues, Avenida Pereira Rego, 1000, Bairro Centro. CEP 96930-000, Candelária, RS, Brazil
Mammalia Ladinian Eucynodontia Paraná Basin

Abstract

A new small cynodont, Candelariodon barberenai gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Triassic of Brazil (Santa Maria Formation) is reported. The new taxon is represented by a partial mandible having some complete teeth. The morphology of the dentary and splenial is similar to other carnivorous cynodonts, except for the absence of the angular process of the dentary. The anterior-most lower teeth are slightly expanded buccolingually with a tall and posteriorly curved main cusp and one or two accessory cusps. The posterior-most preserved lower postcanine, however, has lingual and buccal rows of cusps, each formed by four anteroposteriorly aligned cusps, separated by a shallow basin. This tooth resembles the posterior-most lower teeth of Aleodon Crompton 1955 from the Middle Triassic of Tanzania, but the anterior-most teeth of Candelariodon and Aleodon are essentially different. In this context, the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon remain unclear until the discovery of more informative material.

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