page_title: Galesaurus
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Galesaurus / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Life restoration of Galesaurus planiceps
context_page_description: Galesaurus was a prehistoric carnivorous therapsid that lived between the Induan and the Olenekian age in what is now South Africa. It was incorrectly classified as a dinosaur by Sir Richard Owen in 1859.
  Notably, Galesaurus was mentioned in the first issue of Nature in 1869, where T. H. Huxley expressed confidence that it would eventually be shown to be a dinosaur. However, current opinion is that it was not a dinosaur and belongs to a mammal-like group called Cynodonts.
context_section_description: The largest Galesaurus skull discovered is roughly 12 centimeters long. Larger remains indicate that an adult Galesaurus is roughly 75-80 centimeters long. Cynodonts, including Galesaurus, are believed to have had sprawling postures.
  Examination of Galesaurus reveals two distinct morphs, a gracile and a robust morph. The main differences between the two morphs lie in the pectoral and pelvic girdles, as well as subtle differences in the fore and hind limbs. The morphological differences may be due to sexual dimorphism, ontogeny, or the presence of two subspecies.
caption: Restoration of Galesaurus planiceps
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