Lystrosaurus

E514451

Lystrosaurus was a small, tusked, herbivorous therapsid (mammal-like reptile) that thrived in the Early Triassic and is notable for its widespread distribution and survival after the Permian–Triassic mass extinction.

All labels observed (3)

Label Occurrences
Lystrosaurus canonical 4
Lystrosauridae 1
Lystrosaurus murrayi 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf dicynodont
genus
synapsid
therapsid
bodySize small to medium-sized
clade Dicynodontia
class Synapsida
diet herbivorous
ecologicalRole dominant Early Triassic herbivore in many terrestrial ecosystems
estimatedLength 0.6–1.0 metres
extinctionStatus extinct
family Lystrosauridae
linked to: Lystrosaurus
firstDescribedBy Richard Owen
firstDescribedInYear 1870
fossilsFoundIn Antarctica
China
India
Madagascar
Russia
South Africa
geographicDistribution Gondwana
hasCharacteristic barrel-shaped body
beaked
robust forelimbs
short-snouted
tusked
kingdom Animalia
likelyLifestyle burrowing or semi-fossorial
terrestrial
livedDuring Permian period
linked to: Permian Period

Triassic period
locomotion quadrupedal
nameMeaning shovel lizard
notableFor survival across the Permian–Triassic mass extinction
widespread distribution in the Early Triassic
order Therapsida
linked to: therapsids
phylum Chordata
reproduction oviparous (egg-laying, inferred for non-mammalian synapsids)
respiratoryAdaptation suggested to have relatively efficient lungs compared to many contemporaries
skullFeature pair of tusks in upper jaw
toothless beak for cropping vegetation
suborder Anomodontia
linked to: Synapsida
taxonRank genus
temporalRange Early Triassic
Late Permian
trophicGuild herbivore
typeSpecies Lystrosaurus murrayi
linked to: Lystrosaurus
usedAs biostratigraphic index fossil for Early Triassic
usedAsEvidenceFor continental connections within Gondwana
post-extinction ecological recovery

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Gondwana containsFossilFauna Lystrosaurus
Lystrosaurus family Lystrosauridae
linked to: Lystrosaurus
Lystrosaurus typeSpecies Lystrosaurus murrayi
linked to: Lystrosaurus
Therapsids notableMember Lystrosaurus
subject linked to: therapsids
Synapsida hasMember Lystrosaurus
Dicynodon relatedTo Lystrosaurus