South African Fossil Reptiles and Amphibia. 197 



CYNOSUCHUS WHAITSI, n.sp. 



The form Cynosuchus suppostus was founded by Owen on the 

 preorbital portion of a skull and lower jaw " from a clavstone 

 nodule in a (triassic ?) formation of the Sneeuwberg mountain 

 range." He considered that it belonged with Cynochampsa to a 

 '' single-nostrilled group of Theriodontal Saurians." Both Owen's 

 figures and description show the dental formula of the upper jaw 

 in the type to be i4clm8 there being 8 molars on the right hand 

 side and 6 on the left. 



Lydekker (1890) gave the number of upper molars as seven. 

 He noted that the skull has been flattened from above, giving the 

 muzzle an abnormal width. He also considered the absence of 

 the internarial septum to be due to crushing. 



Broom in 1915 made the following remarks: "Cynosuchus 

 suppostus is known only by the imperfect type skull. It is a most 

 remarkable form, having cusped molars and a secondary palate like 

 the typical Cynodonts, but in other respects differing from all 

 known Cynodonts and resembling more the Gorgonopsians. The 

 dental formula is probably i^ciinf, and to whatever sub-order a 

 more complete skull may show it to belong, it must be placed in 

 a distinct family the Cynosuchidae." 



The discovery within the last few weeks of an almost complete 

 skull by the Rev. J. H. Whaits enables some further observations 

 to be made. Although, owing to the imperfect nature of the 

 type, the type species is somewhat indeterminable, it seems probable 

 that this new skull is closely allied to it, and should be considered 

 as a member of the genus Cynosuchus known under the name 

 Cynosuchus u-haitsi. The skull was found at Weltevreden, in 

 the Sneeuwberg range, GraafT-Reinet, at a height of 5,000 feet 

 above sea-level, and is therefore from the top portion of the Ciste- 

 cephalus zone of the Lower Beaufort Beds. 



The skull is somewhat obliquely crushed, but the larger portion 

 of it has been freed of matrix and the details of the structure 

 beautifully displayed. 



The greatest length was probably 125 mm., the antorbital length 

 50 mm., the interorbital width 27 mm., and the basal length 

 120 mm. 



The dental formula is i4clm8. The four incisors are closely 

 set together and occupy a space of 14 mm. They are simple 

 pointed conical teeth without serrations and curve slightly back- 

 wards. Each tooth has a few longitudinal grooves which do not 



