Named By: T. V. de Oliveira, M. B. Soares & C. L. Schultz - 2010.
Classification: Chordata, Synapsida, Therapsida, Cynodontia, Ecteniniidae.
Species: T. riograndensis (type).
Size: Roughly about 1.2 meters long.
Known locations: Brazil - Santa Maria Formation.
Time period: Carnian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Partial remains.
Trucidocynodon could be notable for just one thing
it would be size.
At over a meter in length Trucidocynodon was
positively huge for a
cynodont as most of its relatives were rarely more than about half a
meter. The large size growth of Trucidocynodon
may have been a result
of continuing divergence of archosaurs in South America, particularly
the larger rauisuchians
and emerging dinosaurs. By growing slightly
larger, Trucidocynodon would have been able to
hunt larger prey to
keep up with these new predators, and Trucidocynodon
may have hunted
the smaller and juvenile ancestors of the dinosaurs.
Trucidocynodon is classed within the Ecteniniidae group of cynodonts upon the basis of similarity with the genus Ecteninion
- Trucidocynodon riograndensis gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Eucynodontia), a new cynodont from the Brazilian Upper Triassic (Santa Maria Formation). - Zootaxa 2382:1-71. - T. V. de Oliveira, M. B. Soares & C. L. Schultz - 2010.