Sphenotitan is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian reptile, known from the Late Triassic (Norian) Quebrada del Barro Formation of Argentina.[1] It is the earliest known member of the herbivorous Elienodontinae, and the only one known from the Triassic.[2] It was a large-sized sphenodontian, with an estimated skull length of over 10 centimetres (3.9 in). The skull is roughly triangular in shape, and had large upper temporal fenestrae. The region of the skull in front of the eye socket (preoribital region) is short. The premaxillae form a beak, with a cutting edge similar to a chisel. The teeth of Sphenotitan, like other elienodontines, were large and wide, and designed for shredding vegetation, with blade-like palatal teeth on the roof of the mouth.[1]
| Sphenotitan Temporal range: Late Triassic
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| Skull diagram | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Subfamily: | †Eilenodontinae |
| Genus: | †Sphenotitan Martínez et al., 2013 |
| Type species | |
| †Sphenotitan leyesi Martínez et al., 2013
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References
edit- ^ a b Martinez, R. N.; Apaldetti, C.; Colombi, C. E.; Praderio, A.; Fernandez, E.; Malnis, P. S.; Correa, G. A.; Abelin, D.; Alcober, O. (2013). "A new sphenodontian (Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia) from the Late Triassic of Argentina and the early origin of the herbivore opisthodontians". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 280 (1772): 20132057. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.2057. PMC 3813332. PMID 24132307.
- ^ Simões, Tiago R.; Kinney-Broderick, Grace; Pierce, Stephanie E. (2022-03-03). "An exceptionally preserved Sphenodon-like sphenodontian reveals deep time conservation of the tuatara skeleton and ontogeny". Communications Biology. 5 (1): 195. doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03144-y. ISSN 2399-3642. PMC 8894340. PMID 35241764.
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