Youngina

Youngina is a genus of small, herbivorous parareptilian diapsid reptile that lived during the Late Permian period. The genus is known from fossils found in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Youngina was a relatively small creature, measuring around 50 centimeters in length. Its diet consisted primarily of plants, as indicated by its dentition and jaw structure. The skeletal features of Youngina provide insights into the early diversification of diapsid reptiles, a group that would eventually include lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodiles. Its skull exhibits the characteristic two temporal fenestrae (openings) behind the eye socket, a defining feature of diapsids. Youngina is considered an important transitional form in the evolutionary history of reptiles. Fossil discoveries have helped scientists understand the ecological niches occupied by reptiles during the Permian and how these early forms paved the way for the dominant reptilian groups of the Mesozoic Era. The genus name honors the paleontologist William Henry Young.