Figures & data
FIGURE 1 Geographic position of the study area and stratigraphy of the Permian Izegouandane Group of Niger. Filled area within country outline of Niger indicates mapped extent of the Izegouandane Group. Abbreviation: Fm., Formation.
FIGURE 2 The skull of Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR86). Photograph and interpretative drawing in A, dorsal and B, ventral views. Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; ec, ectopterygoid; f, frontal; j, jugal; l, lacrimal; m, maxilla; nb, nasal boss; p, parietal; pal, palatine; pf, postfrontal; pm, premaxilla; po, postorbital; pop, paroccipital process of opisthotic; pp, postparietal; ppf, prepalatal foramen; prf, prefrontal; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; qj, quadratojugal; sq, squamosal; st, supratemporal; st h, supratemporal ‘horn’; t, tabular; v, vomer.
FIGURE 3 The skull of Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR86). Photograph and interpretative drawing in right lateral view. Abbreviations: j, jugal; l, lacrimal; m, maxilla; mf, anterior maxillary foramen; n, nasal; pf, postfrontal; pm, premaxilla; po, postorbital; prf, prefrontal; qj, quadratojugal; sq, squamosal; st, supratemporal.
FIGURE 4 The skull of Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR28). Photograph and interpretative drawing in ventral view. Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; bt, basal tubera of basisphenoid; ch, choana; ec, ectopterygoid; m, maxilla; pal, palatine; pbs, parabasisphenoid; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; qj, quadratojugal; sub, suborbital foramen; v, vomer.
FIGURE 5 Reconstruction of the skull (A–C) and maxillary tooth (D) of Bunostegos akokanensis. Skull in A, palatal, B, dorsal, and C, right lateral views. D, tooth in labial view. Scale bar applies only to cranial reconstructions.
FIGURE 6 Cranial elements of a juvenile Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR104). Photograph and interpretative drawing in A, dorsal and B, ventral views. Abbreviations: f, frontal; for, foramen; n, nasal; nb, nasal boss; p, parietal; pf h, postfrontal horn; po?, possible postorbital; prf, prefrontal.
FIGURE 7 The braincase of Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR47). Photograph and interpretative drawing in left lateral view. Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; cp, cultriform process; ex, exoccipital; f, frontal; fo, foramen ovale; jf, jugular foramen; pop, paroccipital process; pro, prootic; pt, pterygoid; sph, sphenethmoid; II, III, IV, foramen for cranial nerves; XII, foramina for hypoglossal nerve.
FIGURE 8 The palate and braincase of Bunostegos akokanensis (MNN MOR25). Photograph and interpretative drawing in ventral view. Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; can, neurovascular canal; cp, cultriform process; pal, palatine; pbs, parabasisphenoid; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; qj, quadratojugal; tub, quadrate tubercle; v, vomer.
FIGURE 9 Restoration of a subadult Bunostegos akokanensis in life. Image © Marc Boulay.
FIGURE 10 Cladistic relationships of Bunostegos akokanensis within Pareiasauria. A strict consensus of the 45 most parsimonious topologies recovered from a TNT analysis. Bremer decay values above one and bootstrap values >50% are listed above and below, respectively, each well-supported branch.
