What is "thrinaxodon"

Thrinaxodon is an extinct genus of cynodont, most commonly regarded by its species T. liorhinus which lived in what are now South Africa and Antarctica. Thrinaxodon has been dated between the Permian and mid- Triassic periods, indicating that it was one of the few species to survive the Permian mass extinction. Its survival may have been due to its burrowing habits.

Similar to other synapsids, Thrinaxodon adopted a semi-sprawling posture, an intermediary form between the sprawling position of pelycosaurs (not unlike current Crocodylia) and the more upright posture present in current mammals. Thrinaxodon is prevalent in the fossil record in part because it was one of the few carnivores of its time, and was of a larger size than similar cynodont carnivores. It was a small synapsid ranging in size between 30 cm and 50 cm.