Scapanops [SEP] parent taxon
meant to associate it with the genus "Cacops", a closely related dissorophid. The species name "neglectus" references the neglected status of the holotype specimen after its initial description in 1964.
Relationships.
A phylogenetic analysis of dissorophids published in 2013 found "Scapanops" to be one of the most basal members of a clade called Eucacopinae. Eucacopines are characterized by their lightly built skeletons and knobby skulls. The most basal eucacopine was found to be "Conjunctio" while "Scapanops" was positioned close to a derived
referred specimen of "Aspidosaurus" (sometimes ""Broiliellus"") "novomexicanus" but was subsequently determined to be a distinct species by Carroll (1964). Carroll also identified a third specimen of "Conjunctio", which he did not refer specifically to "C. multidens"; this was subsequently referred to as the "Admiral Taxon" (because it came from the Admiral Formation of Texas) by most workers until it was formalized as a distinct genus and species, "Scapanops neglecta", by Schoch & Sues