Pristerognathus is an extinct genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of therocephalian, known from the late Middle Permian

Permian

The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...

 (Capitanian

Capitanian

In the geologic timescale, the Capitanian is an age or stage of the Permian. It is also the uppermost or latest of three subdivisions of the Guadalupian epoch or series. The Capitanian lasted between and...

) of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. It lends its name to the Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone

Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone

The Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone is a geological stratum and a faunal zone of the Beaufort Group, of the South African Karoo. The name refers to Pristerognathus, a genus of Therocephalian mammal-like reptile, whose fossils have been found in that structure....

 of the Beaufort Group

Beaufort Group

The Beaufort Group is the third of the main subdivisions of the Karoo Supergroup of geological strata in Southern Africa. It follows conformably after the Ecca Group and consists essentially of sandstones and shales, deposited in the Karoo Basin from the Middle Permian to the early part of the...

 of South African geological strata.
These animals were roughly cat-sized, and are characterized by long, narrow skulls with large canines. They are likely to have preyed on smaller therapsids and millerettids of the time.

Pristerognathus was discovered in 1904 by Broom. Three species are known: P. baini, P. polyodon, and P. platyrhinus.