| Rhigosaurus Temporal range: LowerTriassic | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Clade: | †Therocephalia |
| Superfamily: | †Baurioidea |
| Genus: | †Rhigosaurus Colbert &Kitching, 1981 |
| Type species | |
| †Rhigosaurus glacialis (Colbert & Kitching, 1981) | |
Rhigosaurus glacialis is a species oftherocephaliantherapsid. Its fossilized remains have been found in theFremouw Formation of Antarctica and Australia. Part of a juvenile skull was found nearMount Kenyon, Antarctica. Theholotype of the partial skull shows evidence of promiment upper and lower canine teeth.[1]
The genus nameRhigosaurus comes from the Greekrhigos, meaning cold, andsauros, meaning lizard or reptile. The name was coined byEdwin Harris Colbert andJames William Kitching, who described the species in 1981 based on a fossil found in 1970-1971. They described it as robust and small in size. The fossil skull was 36 mm (1.4 in) long and 26 mm (1.0 in) across at the widest point.[2]
Modern paleontologists such asChristian Sidor consider the species anomen dubium. Sidor describes it as an "indeterminate juvenilebaurioid" and suggests that the nameRhigosaurus be discontinued.[3]
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