Anatomy of the maxillary canal of Riograndia guaibensis (Cynodontia, Probainognathia)-A prozostrodont from the Late Triassic of southern Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Investigating the evolutionary trajectory of synapsid sensory and cephalic systems is pivotal for understanding the emergence and diversification of mammals. Recent studies using CT-scanning to analyze the rostral foramina and maxillary canals morphology in fossilized specimens of probainognathian cynodonts have contributed to clarifying the homology and paleobiological interpretations of these structures. In the present work, μCT-scannings of three specimens of Riograndia guaibensis, an early Norian cynodont from southern Brazil, were analyzed and revealed an incomplete separation between the lacrimal and maxillary canals, with points of contact via non-ossified areas. While the maxillary canal exhibits a consistent morphological pattern with other Prozostrodontia, featuring three main br

SUBMITTER: Fonseca PHM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11791385 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature