Oryctorhynchus

Oryctorhynchus is an extinct genus of rhynchosaur from the Late Triassic -aged Wolfville Formation of Nova Scotia, Canada that may have been the same animal as Beesiiwo. The type species, O. bairdi, was named and described in 2020. It was originally seen as a species of Hyperodapedon until 2020.

Discovery and naming

The holotype was discovered in the Wolfville Formation by Donald Baird sometime between 1958 and 1963; its earliest known mention is by Baird. Shortly after, it was informally named the "Nova Scotia Hyperodapedon" by Robin Whatley in a 1984 paper published by J. A. Hopson. It was briefly described by Michael Benton also as a species of Hyperodapedon. It was then assigned to cf. "Hyperodapedon" sanjuanensis by Lucas et ''al.,. The genus was not recognised as a distinct taxon until it was named in 2020.
The holotype, NSM018GF009.012, consists of a partial jaw and several skull fragments including the rostrum and skull roof.
Fitch et al. state that specimen NSM018GFF009.003 has "No unique support for Oryctorhynchus bairdi, and do not consider it a part of O. bairdi. These attributes better align with those found in Beesiiwo cooowuse... suggest it is either a close relative of Beesiiwo'' or a member of such."

Etymology

The genus name consists of the orycto prefix, which means burrow, and the rhynchus suffix, meaning snout; the full genus name means burrowed snout. The epithet honours David Baird, for his work on Triassic tetrapods from Nova Scotia.

Classification

Sues et al. placed Oryctorhynchus as the sister species to Hyperodapedon and an unnamed hyperodapedontine taxon from Wyoming.

Paleoecology

Oryctorhynchus is from the Wolfville Formation, which probably corresponds to the Popo Agie Formation. The age of the Upper Wolfville Member is unclear; it either dates from the latest Carnian? - earliest Norian? or the late Carnian.
It would have coexisted with Acadiella, Arctotraversodon, Arctosuchus buceros , Haligonia, Scoloparia and Teraterpeton.