Tapinocephalus was a tapinocephalid therapsid synapsid from the Guadalupian of South Africa. It was named in 1876 by Richard Owen. It was the most common dinocephalian therapsid synapsid in South Africa, as well as the largest herbivore there.
Physiology[]
Tapinocephalus was a dinocephalian with 4 erect legs, a short tail, a broad, bulky body, and a mid-sized head. Its most notable feature is the large, bony dome atop its forehead. Its body would have been covered in smooth skin.
Diet[]
Tapinocephalus was an herbivore, feeding on tough vegetation. Its teeth were small and stout, and were used to process vegetation before the synapsid swallowed it.
Ecology[]
So far, all we know about Tapinocephalus is that it was an herbivore that ate tough plants like cycads, its anatomy allowed it to have a more erect gait than other tetrapods at the time, and during mating season, it would have butted heads like a goat or pushed heads like an ox.