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Sinokannemeyeria, Chinese Dicynodont (mammal-like reptile)

Sinokannemeyeria was a large, long snouted, Chinese dicynodont with downward-pointing tusks that grew from bulbous projections on its upper jaw. The muscle attachment sites on the back of the skull were quite small, which suggests that Sinokannemeyeria did not have powerful skull muscles for shearing plants, unlike other dicynodonts. Most dicynodonts chopped up food by sliding their lower jaws backward and forward. Sinokannemeyeria fed by tearing plant material with the front of the snout.

Dicynodontia are a taxon of Therapsids or mammal-like reptiles. Dicynodonts were small to large herbivorous animals with two tusks, hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth'. They are also the most successful and diverse of the non-mammalian therapsids, with over 70 genera known, varying from rat- to ox-sized.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Synapsida

Order: Therapsida

Suborder: Anomodontia

Infraorder: Dicynodontia

Family: Kannemeyeriidae

Genus: Sinokannemeyeria