Massetognathus

Massetognathus Temporal range: Middle Triassic PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Restoration
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Synapsida
Order:	Therapsida
Suborder:	Cynodontia
Family:	†Traversodontidae
Genus:	†Massetognathus

A relative of Cynognathus, Massetognathus was a plant-eating cynodont belonging to the Traversodontid family. This cynodont lived in what is now South America, in Brazil (paleorrota) and Argentina (Los Chañares Formation) during the Middle Triassic period (220 million years ago).

Massetognathus was about 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) long. It had cheek teeth specially adapted to chewing on vegetation. It still had the distinctive long snout of its cynodont relatives, with nipping incisors and fang-like canines, but its cheek teeth were not pointed.^[1] Instead they were flat-topped and were covered with a number of low ridges, which made them good for grinding any stems, roots and other plant materials. Massetognathus had clawed feet and a long dog-like tail. Like most of its cynodont relatives, it may have been covered in hair.

Other Related Genera

• Cynognathus
• Diademodon
• Trirachodon

References

1. ^ Palmer, D., ed (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 193. ISBN 1-84028-152-9. 

Early cynodonts
Basal cynodonts Procynosuchidae Nanocynodon · Procynosuchus · Uralocynodon Other genera Charassognathus · Dvinia · Madysaurus Epicynodontia Galesauridae Cromptodon · Cynosaurus · Galesaurus · Progalesaurus Thrinaxodontidae Nanictosaurus · Nanocynodon · Thrinaxodon Other basal epicynodonts Boloridon · Platycraniellus Eucynodontia Cynognathia · Probainognathia

Cynognathia
Cynognathidae Cynognathus Gomphodontia / Tritylodontoidea Diademodontidae Diademodon · Hazhenia · Ordosiodon · Titanogomphodon Trirachodontidae Neotrirachodon Trirachodontinae Cricodon · Langbergia · Trirachodon Sinognathinae Beishanodon · Sinognathus Traversodontidae Andescynodon · Arctotraversodon · Boreogomphodon · Colbertosaurus · Dadadon ·  ?Gornogomphodon · Habayia · Luangwa · Massetognathus · Maubeugia · Microscalenodon · Nanogomphodon · Pascualgnathus · Plinthogomphodon · Protuberum · Rosieria · Santacruzodon · Scalenodon · Theropsodon · Traversodon Gomphodontosuchinae Exaeretodon · Gomphodontosuchus · Menadon · Scalenodontoides Tritylodontidae Bienotherium · Bienotheroides · Bocatherium · Dianzhongia · Dinnebitodon · Kayentatherium · Lufengia · Nearctylodon · Oligokyphus · Polistodon · Stereognathus · Tritylodon · Xenocretosuchus · Yunnanodon · Yuanotherium

Probainognathia
Lumkuiidae Lumkuia Chiniquodontoidea Prozostrodon Chiniquodontidae ?Aleodon ·  ?Belesodon · Chiniquodon ·  ?Gaumia ·  ?Probelesodon Probainognathidae Lepagia · Probainognathus Mammaliaformes Mammalia Dromatheriidae Deccanodon · Dromatherium · Microconodon · Pseudotriconodon' · Rewaconodon · Tricuspes Tritheledonta Brasilodontidae Brasilitherium · Brasilodon · Minicynodon · Protheriodon Therioherpetidae Charruodon · Meurthodon · Riogranda · Therioherpeton Tritheledontidae Chaliminia · Diarthrognathus · Elliotherium ·  ?Eoraetia · Irajatherium · Mitredon · Pachygenelus · Pattsia

Related categories
Cynodonts