Brithopus

Brithopus is an extinct genus of dinocephalian therapsids. It contains a single species, Brithopus priscus, known from fragmentary remains found in the Copper
Sandstones near Isheevo, Russia.

Description

Brithopus was fairly large, reaching a length of 2.5–3 m. The skull was similar to Titanophoneus, but more massive and heavily built.

B. priscus was first named in 1838 and was traditionally classified in the Anteosauria, a group of carnivorous dinocephalians. Brithopus served as the basis for the family Brithopodidae, which once included many anteosaurian species. Because it is based on fragmentary material, Brithopus is regarded as a nomen dubium by some researchers. Brithopus was later considered a possible estemmenosuchid, a type of herbivorous tapinocephalian therapsid.
Dinosaurus and Eurosaurus have both been considered synonyms of Brithopus.