Moschops

Lore & Background

The geologic horizon of these remains was dubious, though Broom suggested that they were from the Permian upper Ecca Group (part of the Karoo Supergroup). The degree of pachyostosis varies within the skulls of the specimens, and Broom believed this to have been linked to variations in sex and age. Subsequent authors have concluded that the remains discovered by Broom and Whaits actually came from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone, dating to the Middle Permian. The head of Moschops is short, broad, and massive, and is especially wide around the orbits. Like many other dinocephalians, the orbits are surrounded by a swollen mass of thickened bone, the trait the clade was named for. These structures, while likely used for head-butting, do not resemble the kind of head-butting implements seen in most modern mammals; rather, they most closely resemble patches of thickened bone observed in certain toothed whales, particularly bottlenose whales. Synchrotron scanning of one M. capensis skull suggests neurological adaptations for such 'intense head-to-head combat'.

Reader's Guide

Moschops is significant as a well-known representative of the dinocephalian therapsids, a dominant group of Middle Permian synapsids that included both large carnivores and herbivores. The anatomy of its pectoral and pelvic girdles suggests a semi-erect gait, intermediate between basal synapsids and more derived therapsids, and its short digits were compared by William Gregory to those of tortoises. The osteohistology of Moschops shows a very well developed medullary spongiosa and a thick layer of cortical bone, which has been argued to support a semi-aquatic lifestyle, but analysis of the lateral canals of the inner ears of a specimen originally suggested to be Moschops capensis (later referred to Moschognathus) suggests the head was habitually held near vertical, contradicting such a lifestyle and indicating it was instead terrestrial. Due to that and the possession of long-crowned, stout teeth, it is believed that Moschops was a herbivore feeding on nutrient-poor and tough vegetation, likely requiring long feeding periods. Delphinognathus conocephalus could represent juvenile Moschops, though it is also considered an indeterminate juvenile tapinocephalid.

Did You Know?

• Moschops means 'calf face' in Greek.
• The degree of pachyostosis (thickening) in Moschops skulls varies, and Robert Broom believed this was linked to differences in sex and age.
• Synchrotron scanning of a Moschops capensis skull suggests neurological adaptations for 'intense head-to-head combat'.