Data from: The Middle Triassic procolophonid Kapes bentoni: computed tomography of the skull and skeleton

Procolophonids were diverse small reptiles through the Late Permian and
Triassic. Relatively complete specimens of various taxa are known from the
Early and Late Triassic, but the ten or so Middle Triassic taxa, from
South Africa, Russia, China and the UK, are mostly incomplete, being known
only from skulls or partial and poorly preserved isolated elements.
Because of their small size, it has often been difficult to establish
details of anatomy using physical preparation methods, so application of
scanning technology can massively improve knowledge. Here we describe the
first substantial portion of a skull and anterior postcranial skeleton of
the genus Kapes, known from Russia and the UK. CT scanning and 3D digital
restoration of the new specimen from the Anisian Otter Sandstone of Devon,
UK, reveal anatomical details previously unknown for this taxon, most
notably the enlarged quadratojugal processes. This is also one of the few
mature procolophonid specimens with a preserved postcranium, and it gives
a valuable insight into ossification patterns. Fused sutures of the skull,
fused scapulocoracoid, and heavily worn teeth show evidence of the common
reptilian ossification pattern with a possible limitation in tooth
replacement. There is sufficient anatomical information to include Kapes
bentoni for the first time in a cladistic analysis, which shows that it is
sister to the Russian Kapes majmesculae and part of a clade of Anisian
taxa phylogenetically more basal than Procolophon. Inferences on the
function of the quadratojugal spines and fossorial mode of life are also
considered.