Bullacephalus
Encyclopedia
Bullacephalus is an extinct genus
of non-mammal
ian synapsid
. It is known from a relatively complete skull and lower jaw, discovered in the Late Permian
Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone
of the Beaufort Group
of South Africa
. Bullacephalus is also morphologically the least derived of the Burnetiamorpha.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of non-mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
ian synapsid
Synapsid
Synapsids are a group of animals that includes mammals and everything more closely related to mammals than to other living amniotes. They are easily separated from other amniotes by having an opening low in the skull roof behind each eye, leaving a bony arch beneath each, accounting for their name...
. It is known from a relatively complete skull and lower jaw, discovered in the Late Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone
Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone
The Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone is a geological stratum and is the thickest faunal zone of the Beaufort Group, in which has been found a rich variety of early therapsids. The name refers to Tapinocephalus, a genus of large herbivorous dinocephalian synapsids that lived during the Middle Permian...
of the Beaufort Group
Beaufort Group
The Beaufort Group is the third of the main subdivisions of the Karoo Supergroup of geological strata in Southern Africa. It follows conformably after the Ecca Group and consists essentially of sandstones and shales, deposited in the Karoo Basin from the Middle Permian to the early part of the...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Bullacephalus is also morphologically the least derived of the Burnetiamorpha.