Leptodus

Leptodus is a genus of extinct therocephalian therapsids that lived during the Middle Triassic period. These animals were a type of gorgonopsian relative, belonging to the group known as therocephalians, which were a diverse group of synapsids that occupied a range of ecological niches. Leptodus is primarily known from fossil remains discovered in South Africa, specifically within the Karoo Basin, a rich repository of Permian and Triassic fossil vertebrates.

The defining characteristics of Leptodus include its skull morphology. While detailed descriptions vary based on specific species, they generally possessed a relatively elongated snout and a robust skull. The teeth suggest a diet that likely included both meat and possibly some plant matter, placing them as potentially omnivorous or carnivorous. Their exact phylogenetic position within therocephalians is still a subject of ongoing research, but they are considered to be among the more derived forms.

Fossil evidence indicates that Leptodus was a terrestrial animal, inhabiting the landmasses that would eventually form part of Gondwana. Their presence in the Middle Triassic signifies their survival through the Permian-Triassic extinction event, one of the most severe extinction events in Earth's history. The genus Leptodus contributes to our understanding of therapsid evolution and the faunal turnovers that occurred during the Triassic, a critical period for the diversification of reptiles and the eventual rise of dinosaurs.