Priosphenodon

Priosphenodon; Temporal range:
	Reconstructed skeleton of P. avelesi, Carlos Ameghino Provincial Museum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Subclass:	Diapsida
Superorder:	Lepidosauria
Order:	Rhynchocephalia
Subfamily:	†Eilenodontinae
Genus:	†Priosphenodon; Apesteguia & Novas 2003[1]
Species
	†P. avelesi Apestiguia & Novas 2003[1]; †P. minimus Apestiguia & Carballido 2014;

Priosphenodon is an extinct rhynchocephalian known from the Early to Late Cretaceous of Argentina.[1][2] It is believed to have been a fairly large herbivore, having a longer snout than modern tuatara, with teeth specialised for shearing plant matter, like other members of Eilenodontinae.[1] The teeth are densely packed with a cone-in-cone structure, and have prismatic enamel structure similar to those of mammals and the lizard Uromastyx, which was likely an adaptation to wear resistance in the absence of tooth replacement.[3] Two species are known, P. avelesi and P. minimus.[2] The latter has also been considered a part of the separate genus Kaikaifilusaurus.[4]

Skulls of P. avelasi corresponding to different ontogenetic stages

Illustration of the skull in lateral view

Fossils of the genus have been found in the Candeleros and Cerro Barcino Formations in Argentina.

Life restoration of P. avelasi

References

Apesteguía, Sebastián; Novas, Fernando E. (9 October 2003). "Large Cretaceous sphenodontian from Patagonia provides insight into lepidosaur evolution in Gondwana". Nature. 425 (6958): 609–612. Bibcode:2003Natur.425..609A. doi:10.1038/nature01995. PMID 14534584. S2CID 4425130.
Apesteguia, Sebastian; Carballido, Jose L. (March 2014). "A new eilenodontine (Lepidosauria, Sphenodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of central Patagonia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 34 (2): 303–317. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.803974. hdl:11336/6524. S2CID 130381621.
LeBlanc, Aaron R. H.; Apesteguía, Sebastián; Larsson, Hans C. E.; Caldwell, Michael W. (4 May 2020). "Unique Tooth Morphology and Prismatic Enamel in Late Cretaceous Sphenodontians from Argentina". Current Biology. 30 (9): 1755–1761.e2. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.071. PMID 32220319. S2CID 214659416.
Gentil, Adriel R.; Agnolin, Federico L.; Garcia Marsà, Jordi A.; Motta, Matias J.; Novas, Fernando E. (June 2019). "Bridging the gap: Sphenodont remains from the Turonian (Upper Cretaceous) of Patagonia. Palaeobiological inferences". Cretaceous Research. 98: 72–83. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2019.01.016. S2CID 135429146.

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[Apesteguia_and_Novas_2003-1] Apesteguía, Sebastián; Novas, Fernando E. (9 October 2003). "Large Cretaceous sphenodontian from Patagonia provides insight into lepidosaur evolution in Gondwana". Nature. 425 (6958): 609–612. Bibcode:2003Natur.425..609A. doi:10.1038/nature01995. PMID 14534584. S2CID 4425130.

[:0-2] Apesteguia, Sebastian; Carballido, Jose L. (March 2014). "A new eilenodontine (Lepidosauria, Sphenodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of central Patagonia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 34 (2): 303–317. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.803974. hdl:11336/6524. S2CID 130381621.

[3] LeBlanc, Aaron R. H.; Apesteguía, Sebastián; Larsson, Hans C. E.; Caldwell, Michael W. (4 May 2020). "Unique Tooth Morphology and Prismatic Enamel in Late Cretaceous Sphenodontians from Argentina". Current Biology. 30 (9): 1755–1761.e2. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.071. PMID 32220319. S2CID 214659416.

[4] Gentil, Adriel R.; Agnolin, Federico L.; Garcia Marsà, Jordi A.; Motta, Matias J.; Novas, Fernando E. (June 2019). "Bridging the gap: Sphenodont remains from the Turonian (Upper Cretaceous) of Patagonia. Palaeobiological inferences". Cretaceous Research. 98: 72–83. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2019.01.016. S2CID 135429146.