Genus: Pachydectes RUBIDGE, SIDOR & MODESTO, 2006
Etymology: Greek, pakhus, "thick or thickened" and Greek, dektes, "biter"; this combination refers to the region of pachyostotic bone present above the maxillary canine.

Species: elsi RUBIDGE, SIDOR & MODESTO, 2006
Etymology: In honor of the fossil's discoverer, Mr. Icie Els.

Holotype: BP/1/5735

Locality: Farm Morester, Jansenville District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Horizon: Koonap Formation, Beaufort Group.

Biostratigraphy: Middle Tapinocephalus zone.

Age: Kazanian age, Wordian, or Capitanian, Early Tatarian age, Guadelupian Stage, Middle Zeichstein Epoch, Middle Permian.

Material: Transversely compressed fragmentary skull without lower jaws, missing most of the premaxilla, the posterior portion of the left zygomatic arch and most of the right temporal region.