Treasures of our past fossil display Professor Francis Thackeray, director of the Institute for Human Evolution A life-size model of Tapinocaninus pamelae, also known as “Fred” Tapinocaninus pamelae, the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest known skeleton of a land-living reptile. Maropeng is celebrating its fifth birthday with the opening of this fossil display where visitors can come and meet “Fred”, a 260 million-year-old land-living reptile. Professor Francis Thackeray, director of the Institute for Human Evolution, talking about Austropalothicus africanus. The skull of Lystrosaurus primitivus sp who was discovered in the Eastern Cape. Professor Bruce Rubidge, director of the Bernard Price Institute talking about Tapinocaninus pamelae. Lindsay Marshall, exhibitions curator at Maropeng opens the fossil display. 195-year-old Massopondylus eggs The original skeleton of Tapinocaninus pamelae who was discovered near Beaufort West in 1984 by John Nayphuli and Professor Bruce Rubidge. A specimen of Australopithecus africanus, an early hominid.
