Cistecephalidae Broom, 1903

Kammerer, Christian F. & Angielczyk, Kenneth D., 2009, A proposed higher taxonomy of anomodont therapsids, Zootaxa 2018, pp. 1-24 : 10

Cistecephalidae Broom, 1903 a

Definition: All taxa more closely related to Cistecephalus microrhinus Owen, 1876 , than Myosaurus gracilis Haughton, 1917 , or Kingoria nowacki (von Huene, 1942) Cox, 1959.

Taxonomic comments: The monophyly of Cistecephalidae , containing the highly specialized, fossorial dicynodonts Cistecephalus Owen, 1876 , Cistecephaloides Cluver, 1974 , and Kawingasaurus Cox, 1972 , has never been called into question. Phylogenetic analyses including all three of these taxa (Angielczyk 2007; Fröbisch 2007; Fröbisch & Reisz 2008) strongly support this grouping.

Revised diagnosis: Autapomorphies of Cistecephalidae recognized in common by Angielczyk (2007), Fröbisch (2007), and Fröbisch & Reisz (2008) are: (1) preparietal absent; (2) postparietal contributes to the intertemporal skull roof; (3) interpterygoid vacuity absent. Extensive postcranial material is not known for Cistecephaloides , but Angielczyk (2007) recognized several postcranial synapomorphies of Cistecephalus and Kawingasaurus : (1) ossified cleithrum present; (2) acromion process absent; (3) procoracoid participates in formation of glenoid; (4) insertion of M. subcoracoscapularis on humerus extended into a distinct process; (5) trochlea and capitellum distinct.