Rahuolcidae

Rahuolcidae is a family of extinct reptiles that lived during the Triassic period. These animals are classified within the order Rhynchosauria, a group of herbivorous diapsid reptiles characterized by their distinctive beaked snouts. Rahuolcids are known from fossil evidence primarily found in South America and Africa.

The most notable feature of Rahuolcidae, and rhynchosaurs in general, is their elaborate snout structure. This beak-like projection was likely covered in keratin and used for stripping vegetation. The teeth in rhynchosaurs, including Rahuolcidae, were typically fused to the jawbone, a condition known as thecodonty. Their dental batteries were located on the palate, suggesting a grinding or shearing action for processing plant material.

Fossil discoveries indicate that Rahuolcids were relatively common in their ecosystems and played a significant role as herbivores. Their evolutionary history is intertwined with the diversification of early reptiles following the Permian-Triassic extinction event. While the exact phylogenetic relationships within Rahuolcidae are still being studied, they represent an important lineage of Triassic herbivores that eventually went extinct. Their extinction, like many other groups, occurred by the end of the Triassic period, paving the way for the rise of dinosaurs.