Evolutionary History
The dinocephalians evolved from a pelycosaur-like therapsid that lived in the late Cisuralian epoch. These animals radiated at the expense of the dying pelycosaurs, who dominated during the early part of the Permian. During the early Capitanian, advanced dinocephalia radiated into a large number of herbivorous forms; representing a diverse megafauna. This is well known from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Southern African Karoo. Shortly after, at the height of their diversity, the dinocephalians suddenly died out. The reason for their extinction is not clear. They were replaced by much smaller Therapsids: herbivorous Dicynodontia and carnivorous biarmosuchians, Gorgonopsians and Therocephalians.
Read more about this topic: Dinocephalia
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