Re: Dicynodont References

[Jonkeria@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/30/99 12:42:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
qilongia@yahoo.com writes:

<<  Sorry for the off-topic request, this'll be short,
 and I assure you all, there is some relevance, though
 probably not readily apparent.>>

Hey, I think everyone can handle a reference to extinct synapsids now and 
then!

 <<I'm wondering if anyone has references or articles
 on any possible cranial musculature studies of
 dicynodonts (read: *Lystrosaurus*, kannemeyeriids,
 *Dicynodon*, etc.)? I've checked the Biblio of Vert.
 Paleo. through the SVP website, and on Altavista, and
 nothing turned up except a few _Nature_ articles that
 do not appear to relate.  >>

Well, a good place to start is the ultimate guide to dicynodonts, aka. 
Gillian King's _The Dicynodonts: A Study in Biology_, which contains almost 
everything most people would ever want to know about the group, including 
detailed discussions of anatomy and musculature. There are also several good 
papers describing dicynodont skulls that delve, often deeply, into the skull 
musculature of the group. Some really good, useful examples include the 
following:

King, G. M. 1981. The functional anatomy of a Permian dicynodont. 
_Proceedings and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Series B_. 
pp. 25-322.
(describes a specimen of _Dicynodon trigonocephalus_)

Cox, C.B. 1959. On the anatomy of a new dicynodont genus with evidence of the 
position of the tympanum. _Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London_. 
Vol. 132, pp. 321-366.
(describes _Kingoria_. Not really a musculature work, but has extensive 
research pertaining to the musculature such as joint development and 
arrangement and placement of blood vessels)

Ewer, R.F. 1961. The anatomy of the dicynodont _Daptocephalus leoniceps_ 
(Owen). _Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London_. Vol. 136, pp. 
375-402. 
(an oldie but a goodie, must-have for dicynodont musculature--extensive 
description of the musculature of the entire skeleton, with major elements 
given separate sections)

There are others out there, so just let me know if you want more on this 
topic.

Sincerely,
Christian Kammerer