Stereognathus
| Stereognathus Temporal range: Bathonian, 167.7–165.7 Ma | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Order: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | Cynodontia |
| Family: | †Tritylodontidae |
| Genus: | †Stereognathus |
| Type species | |
| Stereognathus ooliticus Charlesworth, 1854 | |
| Species | |
| |
Stereognathus is a genus of tritylodontid cynodont from the Middle Jurassic of the United Kingdom.[1] There are two named species: S. ooliticus, named after the Great Oolite deposits of England, and S. hebridicus, named after the Hebrides in Scotland, where it was found.
S. ooliticus was the first tritylodontid species ever found, being described by Charlesworth in 1855[2] and later by Sir Richard Owen.[3] In 1972, S. hebridicus was named from several molariform teeth recovered in Bathonian age deposits on the Isle of Skye in Scotland by renowned mammal palaeontologist, Robert "Bob" Savage, and Michael Waldman.[4]
Despite being the first tritylodontid genus found and named, Stereognathus remains poorly represented, being known mainly from isolated molar teeth. There is however one holotype fragment of maxilla with three damaged molars, and a second fragment of maxilla with four sets of molar roots.
References
- ↑ Fossilworks. "Stereognathus." Retrieved from
- ↑ Charlesworth, E 1855. Reprint British Association. 1854 Liverpool Abstracts, 80.
- ↑ Owen, R 1856 On the affinity of Stereognathus ooliticus (Charlesworth) a mammal from the Oolitic slate of Stonesfield . Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, 13, 1-11.
- ↑ Waldman, M and Savage, R.J.G 1972 The first Jurassic mammal from Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society of London 128:119-125