PBDB Taxon

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Included Taxa
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Rhachiocephalus magnus

Anomodontia - Cryptodontidae

Taxonomy

Oudenodon magnus was named by Owen (1876). Its type specimen is NHMUK 36252, a partial skull (Partial skull), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Brakrivier, Fort Beaufort, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa.

It was recombined as Dicynodon magnus by Broom (1913); it was recombined as Eocyclops magnus by Haughton (1917); it was recombined as Platypodosaurus magnus by von Huene (1942); it was recombined as Rhachiocephalus magnus by Seeley (1898), Broom (1932), Keyser (1975), Kitching (1977) and Kammerer et al. (2011).

Synonyms

Dicynodon scheepersi was named by Broom (1948). Its type specimen is RC 95, a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Adendorp, Graaff-Reinet, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa.

It was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Brink (1986) and Kammerer et al. (2011).
Kitchingia planifrons was named by Broom and George (1950). Its type specimen is BPI 124, a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Brandkraal, Murraysburg, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa. It is the type species of Kitchingia.

It was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Kitching (1977) and King (1988).
Rhachiocephalus angusticeps was named by Broom (1937). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Kranskraal, which is in a Wuchiapingian/Changhsingian terrestrial horizon in the Normandien Formation of South Africa.

It was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by King (1988).
Platycyclops haughtoni was named by Broom (1932). Its type specimen is SAM 8750, a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Doornplaas (Cistecephalus Assemblage Zone), which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial siliciclastic in South Africa.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus haughtoni by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Keyser (1975) and Maisch (2002).
Platycyclops rubidgei was named by Broom (1940). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Grootdriefontein (Cistecephalus Assemblage Zone), which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in the Teekloof Formation of South Africa.

It was synonymized subjectively with Platycyclops haughtoni by Kitching (1977) and King (1988).
Platycyclops latirhinus was named by Broom (1940). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Wimbledon, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa.

It was synonymized subjectively with Platycyclops haughtoni by Kitching (1977) and King (1988).
Eocyclops longus was named by Broom (1913). Its type specimen is AMNH (no number), a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Grootvlei, Paarderkraal, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus longus by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Keyser (1972), Keyser (1975), Maisch (2000) and Kammerer and Angielczyk (2009).
Megacyclops whaitsi was named by Broom (1931). Its type specimen is SAM 3425, a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Graaff-Reinet Commonage, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in the Middleton/Balfour Formation of South Africa.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus whaitsi by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Keyser (1975), Kitching (1977), Maisch (2000) and Kammerer and Angielczyk (2009).
Megacyclops rugosus was named by Haughton (1932). Its type specimen is SAM 10637, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is B4, Katumbi Vawili (Lower Bonebed K6), which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in the Usili Formation of Tanzania.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus rugosus by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Keyser (1975) and Kammerer and Angielczyk (2009).
Megacyclops usiliensis was named by von Huene (1942). Its type specimen is UT U 31, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is B32, Usili mountain, Ngaka - Kingori Hill Area, Ruhuhu Valley, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in the Usili Formation of Tanzania.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus usiliensis by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Maisch (2000).
Neomegacyclops cyclops was named by Boonstra (1953). Its type specimen is SAM 11707, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is B32, Usili mountain, Ngaka - Kingori Hill Area, Ruhuhu Valley, which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in the Usili Formation of Tanzania.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus cyclops by King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Keyser (1975), Maisch (2000) and Kammerer and Angielczyk (2009).
Pelanomodon wesselsi was named by Broom (1948). Its type specimen is RC 65, a skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Murraysburg Commonage (Cistecephalus Assemblage Zone), which is in a Wuchiapingian terrestrial horizon in South Africa.

It was recombined as Rhachiocephalus wesselsi by Keyser (1972) and King (1988); it was synonymized subjectively with Rhachiocephalus magnus by Kitching (1977), Maisch (2000) and Kammerer and Angielczyk (2009).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1876	Oudenodon magnus Owen
1898	Rhachiocephalus magnus Seeley
1913	Dicynodon magnus Broom
1913	Eocyclops longus Broom
1917	Eocyclops magnus Haughton
1931	Megacyclops whaitsi Broom
1932	Platycyclops haughtoni Broom
1932	Rhachiocephalus magnus Broom
1932	Megacyclops rugosus Haughton p. 646 figs. 9-11
1937	Rhachiocephalus angusticeps Broom
1940	Platycyclops latirhinus Broom p. 85
1940	Platycyclops rubidgei Broom p. 85
1942	Megacyclops usiliensis von Huene
1942	Platypodosaurus magnus von Huene
1948	Dicynodon scheepersi Broom
1948	Pelanomodon wesselsi Broom
1950	Kitchingia planifrons Broom and George
1953	Neomegacyclops cyclops Boonstra
1972	Rhachiocephalus wesselsi Keyser
1975	Rhachiocephalus magnus Keyser
1977	Rhachiocephalus magnus Kitching p. 388
1988	Rhachiocephalus cyclops King
1988	Rhachiocephalus haughtoni King
1988	Rhachiocephalus longus King
1988	Rhachiocephalus rugosus King
1988	Rhachiocephalus usiliensis King
1988	Rhachiocephalus wesselsi King
1988	Rhachiocephalus whaitsi King
2011	Rhachiocephalus magnus Kammerer et al.

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda

Rank	Name	Author
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
order	Anomodontia	Owen 1859
family	Cryptodontidae	()
—	Rhachiocephalidae	()
genus	Rhachiocephalus
species	magnus	()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Rhachiocephalus magnus Owen 1876

show all | hide all

Invalid names: Dicynodon scheepersi Broom 1948 [synonym], Eocyclops longus Broom 1913 [synonym], Kitchingia planifrons Broom and George 1950 [synonym], Megacyclops rugosus Haughton 1932 [synonym], Megacyclops usiliensis von Huene 1942 [synonym], Megacyclops whaitsi Broom 1931 [synonym], Neomegacyclops cyclops Boonstra 1953 [synonym], Pelanomodon wesselsi Broom 1948 [synonym], Rhachiocephalus angusticeps Broom 1937 [synonym], Rhachiocephalus haughtoni Broom 1932 [synonym]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialuc

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Diet:

herbivoreo

Created:

2009-01-03 20:33:20

Modified:

2009-01-03 22:33:20

Source: o = order, c = class, subp = subphylum, uc = unranked clade

References: Carroll 1988, Benton 1983, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range: Wuchiapingian or 259.90000 to 254.17000 Ma

Collections (17 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Wuchiapingian	259.9 - 254.17	Tanzania (Ruvuma)	Megacyclops rugosus (180461) Megacyclops usiliensis, Neomegacyclops cyclops (178128) Platypodosaurus magnus (181520) Rhachiocephalus magnus (135700)
Wuchiapingian	259.9 - 254.17	South Africa (Eastern Cape)	Dicynodon scheepersi (178113) Megacyclops whaitsi (80826) Oudenodon magnus (type locality: 177585) Platycyclops haughtoni (144272 179335) Platycyclops latirhinus (174626)
Wuchiapingian	259.9 - 254.17	South Africa (Northern Cape)	Rhachiocephalus magnus (178523)
Wuchiapingian	259.9 - 254.17	South Africa (Western Cape)	Dicynodon scheepersi, Pelanomodon wesselsi (180462) Eocyclops longus (180347) Kitchingia planifrons (179072) Platycyclops rubidgei (174736) Rhachiocephalus magnus (181609)
Wuchiapingian - Changhsingian	259.9 - 252.17	South Africa (Free State)	Rhachiocephalus angusticeps (179328)