Biology:Tricuspes

Short description: Extinct genus of cynodonts

Tricuspes Temporal range: Rhaetian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Triassic (Rhaetian)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Clade:	Therapsida
Clade:	Cynodontia
Family:	†Dromatheriidae
Genus:	†Tricuspes Huene, 1933
Species
T. tubingensis (Huene, 1933) T. sigogneauae (Hahn et al., 1994) T. tapeinodon (Godefroit and Battail, 1997)

Tricuspes is an extinct genus of cynodonts that lived in what would be Europe during the Triassic from 203.6—199.6 mya, existing for approximately 4 million years. Three species are known: Tricuspes tubingensis (Huene, 1933), Tricuspes sigogneauae (Hahn et al., 1994) and Tricuspes tapeinodon (Godefroit and Battail, 1997), which are all from the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) period in continental Europe.

Places of discovery

Teeth of Tricuspes tubingensis have been found at the following locations:

• Saint-Nicolas-de-Port
• Medernach
• Baden-Württemberg
• Kanton Schaffhausen

Dentition

This genus is represented only by isolated teeth found in continental Europe. Its postcanine molariform teeth are tricuspate or tetracuspate and the tooth roots are incipiently divided.

Further reading

Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, Richard L. Cifelli, and Zhe-Xi Luo, Mammals from the Age of Dinosaurs: Origins, Evolution, and Structure (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004), 186.

References

Wikidata ☰ Q142810 entry