Genus of therapsids from the mid-Permian of Russia
Gorynychus is a genus of therocephalian from the mid-Permian from Kotelnich, Russia. The genus contains two species, "G. masyutinae" and "G. sundyrensis". It was named after the three-headed dragon Zmey Gorynych (Змей Горыныч) from Russian mythology.
Description.
"G. masyutinae", only known from its holotype, was wolf-sized and appears to have represented the largest predator in the Kotelnich fauna. Like many theriodonts, it had strongly developed and prominent canine teeth.
Paleoecology.
The discovery of such a large therocephalian as the apex predator of its environment coupled with the discovery of a smaller gorgonopsid, the smaller and nocturnal "Nochnitsa", in the same formation indicates that a faunal turnover was occurring at the time, with gorgonopsians taking over the therocephalians' role as the dominant predators in their environment.
References.
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