TAXONOMY OF EAST EUROPEAN GORGONOPIANS (THERAPSIDA)

Abstract

The gorgonopians from the Late Permian of Eastern Europe are revised. The order Gorgonopia includes the suborders Rhopalodontida and Gorgonopida. Three superfamilies are considered within the Gorgonopida: Rubidgeoidea, Gorgonopioidea, and Inostrancevioidea. The Rubidgeoidea include the families Phthinosuchidae (genera Dinosaurus and Kamagorgon in Eastern Europe) and Rubidgeidae with three subfamilies: Sycosaurinae (genus Viatkogorgon in Eastern Europe), Rubidgeinae, and Broomicephalinae. The superfamily Gorgonopioidea includes the families Burnetiidae, with the genera Proburnetia and Niuksenitia from Eastern Europe, and Gorgonopidae, which is divided into four subfamilies: Aelurosaurinae, Gorgonopinae (genus Pravoslavlevia in Eastern Europe), Cyonosaurinae, and Scylacopinae, with the East European genera Sauroctonus and Suchogorgon.