Permian synapsids of Africa

Rubidgea is a genus of gorgonopsian from the upper Permian of South Africa and Tanzania, containing the species Rubidgea atrox. The generic name Rubidgea is sometimes believed to be derived from the surname of renowned Karoo paleontologist, Professor Bruce Rubidge, who has contributed to much of the research conducted on therapsids of the Karoo Basin. However, this generic name was actually erected in honor of Rubidge's paternal grandfather, Sidney Rubidge, who was a renowned fossil hunter. Its species name atrox is derived from Latin, meaning "fierce, savage, terrible". Rubidgea is part of th

Elliotsmithia is a small varanopid synapsid found from the late Middle Permian of South Africa. It is the sole basal synapsid "pelycosaur" known from the supercontinent Gondwana and only two specimens have been yielded to date. Its species name longiceps is derived from Latin, meaning "long head". Both known Elliotsmithia fossils were recovered from Abrahamskraal Formation rocks—within the boundaries of the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone—of the lower Beaufort Group. It was named for the late Sir Grafton Elliot Smith in 1937.

Aelurognathus is an extinct genus of gorgonopsian therapsids from the Permian of South Africa and Zambia.

thumb|left|Restoration of S. laticeps with prey thumb|left|Holotype of S. nowaki

Ictidosuchoides is an extinct genus of ictidosuchid therocephalians. Fossils have been found from the Karoo Basin in South Africa. The genus was previously thought to have been one of the few therocephalians to have survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event in this area, but the putative early Triassic specimens have since been attributed to Promoschorhynchus.

thumb|left|Restoration of C. rubidgei thumb|left|Referred skull, the holotype of Tigrisaurus pricei

Cynosaurus is an extinct genus of cynodonts. Remains have been found from the Dicynodon Assemblage Zone in South Africa. Cynosaurus was first described by Richard Owen in 1876 as Cynosuchus suppostus. Cynosaurus has been found in the late Permian period. Cyno- is derived from the Greek word kyon for dog and –sauros in Greek meaning lizard.

Scymnosaurus is a dubious genus of therocephalian therapsids from the Middle Permian of what is now South Africa based upon the fossils of large, but indeterminate, early therocephalians. The genus and its type species S. ferox was named by Robert Broom in 1903, followed by S. watsoni in 1915. A third species, S. major, was named by Lieuwe Dirk Boonstra in 1954, who also referred many more specimens to the genus as Scymnosaurus sp.

Trochosaurus (from , 'badger' and , 'lizard') is a dubious genus of therocephalian therapsid from South Africa, to which various species were once assigned. The genus was based upon multiple weathered and distorted fossils of therocephalians of the family Lycosuchidae. Like other lycosuchids, specimens placed in Trochosaurus have only five large incisors in each premaxilla, seemingly two functional "double canines" in each maxilla (of which the second was supposedly slightly larger in Trochosaurus), and few postcanines. However, the fossils lack any further diagnostic traits to justify referri

Ictidosuchops is a genus of therocephalian therapsids. There are currently two named species: Ictidosuchops intermedius and Ictidosuchops baurioides.

thumb|left|Referred skull, the holotype of Rubidgea platyrhina thumb|left|Referred skull

Abdalodon is an extinct genus of late Permian cynodonts, known by its only species A. diastematicus. Abdalodon, along with the genus Charassognathus, belongs to the clade Charassognathidae. This clade represents the earliest known cynodonts, and is the first known radiation of this group during the Permian.