Moschorhinus

Moschorhinus is an extinct genus of therocephalian of the Akidnognathidea family. It was a carnivorous quadruped predator and lived primarily in the Permian period. Described by South African paleontologist Robert Broom in 1920, its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words words μόσχος (mos'-khos) moschos for calf and rhino- for nose, referring to the broad, blunt shape of the snout.

Its short strong skull bore long straight canines and was up to lion-sized. It resembled the gorgonopsids, whose predatory role it appears to have replaced.[1]

While most abundant in the late Permian, remains of Moschorhinus kitchingi have also been found in the earliest Triassic beds in the Karoo basin, showing that Moschorhinus did survive the Permian-Triassic extinction event, but disappeared soon afterwards.[2][3] Although smaller than their Permean predecessors, Triassic Moschorhinus were the largest therocephalian predators of their time.[3][4] An examination of the change in size between Moschorhinus fossils from before and after the mass extinction at the end of the Permian provides an excellent study of the Lilliput effects observable in species known to have survived an environmental catastrophe such as an extinction event.

Etymology
Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words μόσχος (mos'-khos) moschos for calf or young animal, and rhin/rhino- for nose or snout. The species name, kitchingi, refers to Mr. James Kitching, who originally found (but did not describe) the specimen.

Discovery
The first Moschorhinus specimen was discovered by Mr. James Kitching in the Karoo Beds of South Africa, near a New Bethesda Road. It was first described by paleontologist Robert Broom in 1920, who published his observations through the Zoological Society of London.