ON NEW PERMIAN REPTILKS FROM SOUTU AFRICA. 1073 



51. On some New South African Permian Reptiles'^. 

 By li. Broom, D.Sc, C.M.Z.S. 



[Received May 23, 1911 : Read June 27, 1911.] 



(Plates LXII. &■ LXIII.t) 



Of the following new fossil reptiles a number have been 

 discovered by the Rev. J. H. Whaits of Beaufort West, a most 

 enthusiastic and successful collector. The others have been found 

 by mys'alf. Though none of the species described represent any 

 strikingly nev/ types, the series forms an important addition to our 

 knowledge of the Permian Fauna. 



Suborder D I N o c E p ii A L i A. 



Moscnops CAPENsis, gen. et sp. n. (PI. LXII, fig. 1.) 



This important new genus was discovered by Mr. Y/haits and 

 myself on the farm Spitzkop in the Moordenaar's Karroo. 

 Remains of a number of skeletons were discovered scattered over 

 and imbedded in an alluvial deposit about a rood in extent. 

 Though the remains weie for the most part fragmentary and 

 weathered, and so completely mixed up that it is pi'actically im- 

 possible to pick out the bones belonging to any one individual, 

 this mattei's the less seeing that all the skeletons a2:)pear to belong 

 to one species. There is considerable difference in size of the 

 bones, but I think there is reason to believe that this may be 

 accounted for by assuming that the small herd which perished 

 together comprised males, females, and immature animals. As 

 portions of thirteen tliigh bones have been discovered, there must 

 have been at least seven individuals. 



Owing to the scattered condition of the remains it is impossible 

 to reconstruct the manus and pes and to give the exact number 

 of the pre-sacral and caudal vertebrae, but with these exceptions 

 every detail of the skeleton is known. I hope shortly to give a 

 full desciiption of the I'emains in a monograph on the Dinocephalia. 

 In the present paper I shall merely give a preliminary desciiption 

 of the skull. 



The skull, which I figure and which may be regarded as the 

 type, is, I believe, that of a 3^oung female. The left side is much 

 weathered and the whole skull consirlerably crushed, especially yi 

 the occipital region, but otherwise the skull may be regarded as 

 nearly perfect. The greatest length of the skull is 345 mm., and 

 from the occipital condyle to tlie front of the snout 290 mm. 



This new animal resembles Delphinognaihvs conocephalus Seeley 

 so closel}^ that it was only after A'ery deliberate consideration 

 that. I decided to place it in a new genus. That it is specifically 



* On p. 1079 T)r. Broom proposes two new generic names, viz., Arciosuclius and 

 Arctognathux. — Editor. 



f For explanation of the Plates see p. 1082. 



