Thrinaxodon fossil map
Where fossils of Thrinaxodon have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 252 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 252 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Pre-mammals (synapsids) |
|---|---|
| Lived | 251.902–247 million years ago |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Named by | Seeley 1894 |
| Fossil records | 18 occurrences at 15 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa, Antarctica |
| Rock formations | txn:NF, Normandien, Fremouw, Katberg |
About Thrinaxodon
Thrinaxodon is an extinct genus of cynodonts which lived in what are now South Africa and Antarctica during the Early Triassic. The genus is a monotypic genus and contains only the type species T. liorhinus.
Similar to other therapsids, Thrinaxodon adopted a semi-sprawling posture, an intermediary form between the sprawling position of basal tetrapods and the more upright posture present in current mammals. Thrinaxodon is prevalent in the fossil record, and one of the specimens represent the oldest known record of burrowing behavior among cynodonts.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Thrinaxodon (revision 1378281726), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in.
