Mupashi

Mupashi; Temporal range: Wuchiapingian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Clade:	Therapsida
Clade:	†Therocephalia
Family:	†Karenitidae
Genus:	†Mupashi; Huttenlocker & Sidor, 2016
Type species
	†Mupashi migrator; Huttenlocker & Sidor, 2016

Mupashi is an extinct monotypic genus of therocephalians that lived during the Late Permian of what is now Zambia.. It is represented by the single species Mupashi migrator.

Description

The holotype skull was recovered from the Upper Madumabisa Mudstone in the Luangwa Basin. Unlike most other therocephalians, Mupashi possessed an unusually high tooth count and a slender, elongated snout. Analysis of the scleral ring (a ring of bone found in the eye) indicates that the animal likely had a nocturnal or crepuscular lifestyle, being well-adapted to low-light environments. Its discovery is significant as it represents the first member of the family Karenitidae found in Gondwana, suggesting a wider geographic distribution for this group than previously thought.

References

↑ Huttenlocker, A. K.; Sidor, C. A. (2016). "The first karenitid (Therapsida, Therocephalia) from the upper Permian of Gondwana and the biogeography of Permo-Triassic therocephalians". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1111897.
1 2 Huttenlocker, A. K.; Sidor, C. A. (2016). "The first karenitid (Therapsida, Therocephalia) from the upper Permian of Gondwana". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (4). doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1111897.
↑ "Mupashi Huttenlocker and Sidor 2016 (therapsid)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
↑ Angielczyk, K. D. (2014). "Permian and Triassic Anticedents of Mammalia". Earth-Science Reviews. 138: 32–54. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.08.003.

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[Huttenlocker2016-1] Huttenlocker, A. K.; Sidor, C. A. (2016). "The first karenitid (Therapsida, Therocephalia) from the upper Permian of Gondwana and the biogeography of Permo-Triassic therocephalians". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1111897.

[Huttenlocker_2016-2] 1 2 Huttenlocker, A. K.; Sidor, C. A. (2016). "The first karenitid (Therapsida, Therocephalia) from the upper Permian of Gondwana". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (4). doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1111897.

[PBDB_Mupashi2-3] "Mupashi Huttenlocker and Sidor 2016 (therapsid)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 2026-02-02.

[Angielczyk_2014-4] Angielczyk, K. D. (2014). "Permian and Triassic Anticedents of Mammalia". Earth-Science Reviews. 138: 32–54. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.08.003.