Hyperodapedon

Hyperodapedon; Temporal range: Late Triassic, 231–216 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Archosauromorpha
Order:	†Rhynchosauria
Family:	†Rhynchosauridae
Subfamily:	†Hyperodapedontinae
Genus:	†Hyperodapedon; Huxley, 1859
Species
	†H. gordoni Huxley, 1859 (type); †H. huenei Langer & Schultz, 2000; †H. huxleyi Lydekker, 1881; †H. mariensis (Tupi-Caldas, 1933); †H. sanjuanensis (Sill, 1970) Langer & Schultz, 2000;
Synonyms
	Genus-level:; Cephalonia Huene, 1942 (nomen dubium); Scaphonyx Woodward, 1907 (nomen dubium); Stenometopon Boulenger, 1903; Macrocephalosaurus Tupi-Caldas, 1933; Paradapedon Huene, 1938; Species-level:; Cephalonia lotziana Huene, 1942 (nomen dubium); Scaphonyx africanus Boonstra, 1953 (nomen dubium); S. australis Huene, 1926 (nomen dubium); S. fischeri Woodward, 1907 (nomen dubium); S. sanjuanensis Sill, 1970; Macrocephalosaurus mariensis Tupi-Caldas, 1933; Paradapedon huxleyi (Lydekker, 1881); Stenometopon taylori Boulenger, 1903;

Hyperodapedon is a genus of rhynchosaur (a beaked, archosaur-like reptile) from the late Triassic period (Carnian stage). The type species of Scaphonyx (meaning canoe claw), Scaphonyx fischeri that once thought to be a dinosaur, is now known to be based on dubious material and therefore should be a nomen dubium. The name Paradapedon was erected for the Indian species H. huxleyi (Lydekker, 1881). Benton, 1983, concluded that this rhynchosaur sould be considered a species of Hyperodapedon.

Hyperodapedon is known from several species and has been found in many areas of the world, due to the continents being joined together in the supercontinent Pangaea during the Triassic. Fossils from the various species have been identified from Argentina, Brasil, India, Scotland and possibly from Canada, USA and Wyoming. It was hunted by many predators like Saurosuchus and Prestosuchus.

Description

Hyperodapedon was a heavily built, stocky, animal around 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) in length. Apart from its beak, it had several rows of heavy teeth on each side of the upper jaw, and a single row on each side of the lower jaw, creating a powerful chopping action when it ate. It is believed to have been herbivorous, feeding mainly on seed ferns, and died out when these plants became extinct at the end of the Triassic.^[1]

Cladogram based on Langer et al. (2000):^[2]

Hyperodapedontinae

"Scaphonyx" sulcognathus

Hyperodapedon

H. huenei

H. mariensis

H. sanjuanensis

	H. gordoni

	H. huxleyi

References

^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 92. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
^ Max C. Langer and Cesar L. Schultz (2000). "A new species of the Late Triassic rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon from the Santa Maria Formation of south Brazil". Palaeontology. 43 (6): 633–652.

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[EoDP-1] Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 92. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

[Langeretal-2] Max C. Langer and Cesar L. Schultz (2000). "A new species of the Late Triassic rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon from the Santa Maria Formation of south Brazil". Palaeontology. 43 (6): 633–652.

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