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Kwazulusaurus

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Kwazulusaurus
Temporal range: Late Permian
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Clade: Therapsida
Clade: Anomodontia
Clade: Dicynodontia
Family: Lystrosauridae
Genus: Kwazulusaurus
Maisch, 2002
Type species
Kwazulusaurus shakai
Maisch, 2002

Kwazulusaurus is an inactive genus of dicynodont therapsid from the Late Permian of South Africa. The type species K. shakai was described from the Dicynodon Assemblage Zone of the Beaufort Group in 2002. It has many similarities with the well-known dicynodont Lystrosaurus, and has been set in the same family, Lystrosauridae. Kwazulusaurus appears to be transitional betwixt early dicynodonts and the more derived Lystrosaurus; it has the wide skull roof of earlier dicynodonts, and a abridged snoot like that of Lystrosaurus.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Maisch, M.W. (2002). "A new basal lystrosaurid dicynodont from the Upper Permian of South Africa". Palaeontology. 45 (2): 343–359. Bibcode:2002Palgy..45..343M. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00240.