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Toxolophosaurus was asphenodont which lived in North America during theEarly Cretaceous.[3]
The first specimen, consisting of a pair of lower jaws, was found by George Cloud and described by Everett C. Olson in 1960[2] in theKootenai Formation ofMontana, 223.75 feet above the base of the Kootenai.[3] Olson originally classifiedToxolophosaurus as a member of the familyTrilophosauridae, which was a group of primitive lizard-like reptiles which lived during theTriassic Period, although he provided no reasons for this decision. In 1981,Toxolophosaurus was reassigned to the family Sphenodontidae, on the basis that the specimens were more similar toSphenodon than to members of Trilophosauridae.[1] This classification was confirmed in 1985 byMichael Benton.[4] It is closely related toPriosphenodon andEilenodon.
In addition to the specimen recovered from Montana, numerous sphenodont fossils which have been ascribed toToxolophosaurus have also been found within the Yellow Cat Member of theCedar Mountain Formation.[5]
Toxolophosaurus washerbivorous.[1]
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