What is the definition of Theriodonts?
Q: What is the definition of Theriodonts?
A: Theriodonts are a major group of therapsids which can be defined as a suborder of Synapsida that lived from the Middle Permian to the Middle Cretaceous.
Q: When did Theriodonts appear?
A: Theriodonts appeared about 265 million years ago, in the Middle Permian.
Q: What are three main groups of Theriodonts?
A: The three main groups of Theriodonts are Gorgonopsia, Therocephalia and Cynodontia.
Q: Were early forms of Theriodonts warm-blooded?
A: Early forms may have been warm-blooded.
Q: What type of diet did early forms have?
A: Early forms were carnivorous, but several later groups became herbivorous during the Triassic.
Q: How were their jaws different from other therapsids? A: Their dentary (lower jaw) was larger than other therapsids, which gave them more efficient chewing and allowed their mouths to open wider. This made them more successful than other synapsids.
Q: What is an Eutheriodont?
A: Eutheriodont refers to all theriondots except for gorgonopsians (the most primitive group). They included Therocephalians, Cynodons and their descendants - mammals.
