Brithopus is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids. It contains a single species, Brithopus priscus, known from fragmentary remains found in the Copper Sandstones near Isheevo, Russia.

Description

Brithopus was fairly large, reaching a length of 2.5–3 m (8–10ft). The skull was similar to Titanophoneus, but more massive and heavily built.

Classification

B. priscus was first named in 1838 and was traditionally classified in the Anteosauria, a group of carnivorous dinocephalians. Brithopus served as the basis for the family Brithopodidae, which once included many anteosaurian species. Because it is based on fragmentary material, Brithopus is regarded as a nomen dubium by some researchers, including Christian Kammerer, who in a 2011 study stated that it had been used as a "wastebasket taxon for Ural copper measures dinocephalian postcranial material". Kammerer suggested that Brithopus priscus was not an anteosaur and was likely a tapinocephalian of some kind.

Dinosaurus and Eurosaurus have both been considered synonyms of Brithopus.

See also

• List of therapsids

References

External links

• Message to the Dinosaur Mailing List briefly detailing the history of the name