Category
page 1Pareiasauromorpha
Nycteroleteridae
Nycteroleteridae is a family of procolophonian parareptilians (extinct early reptiles) from the Middle to Late Permian of Russia and North America. They are sometimes classified as a sister group to pareiasaurids (but see Classification). The group includes the genera Macroleter, Bashkyroleter, "Bashkyroleter" mesensis, Nycteroleter, Emeroleter, and probably Rhipaeosaurus. They were carnivorous, and occasionally ate insects. The group was most common in European Russia, with only a few fossils in North America. One fossil has also been found in Africa, but this is the only one from Gondwana.
Macroleter
thumb|left|Restoration
Rhipaeosaurus
Rhipaeosaurus is an extinct genus of nycteroleterid parareptile known from an articulated skeleton from the mid Middle Permian of European Russia. It contained a single species, Rhipaeosaurus tricuspidens. A bayesian analysis suggests that it is more closely related to pareiasaurs than to the other nycteroleterids, due to skull and tooth features. For this reason, "Nycteroleteridae" may be a grade rather than a clade, unless redefined to exclude Rhipaeosaurus.
Emeroleter
Emeroleter is an extinct genus of nycteroleterid parareptile known from the early Late Permian of European Russia. It was a long-legged lizard-like small animal with a length about 30 cm.
Nycteroleter
Nycteroleter is an extinct genus of nycteroleterid parareptile known from the Middle Permian of European Russia. Fossils were first found in the Mezen River, near to Arkhangelsk. Within the Nycteroleteridae, it is considered most closely related to Emeroleter. However, its legs were shorter than those of Emeroleter and its skull was flatter. Nycteroleter was insectivorous, and may have been nocturnal. It was a small animal, less than a metre long.