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Abstract The rapid radiation and dispersal of crown reptiles following the end‐Permian mass extinction characterizes the earliest phase of the Mesozoic. Phylogenetically, this early radiation is difficult to interpret, with polytomies near the crown node, long ghost lineages, and enigmatic origins for crown group clades. Better understanding of poorly known taxa from this time can aid in our understanding of this radiation and Permo‐Triassic ecology. Here, we describe an Early Triassic specimen of the diapsidPalacrodonfrom the Fremouw Formation of Antarctica. WhilePalacrodonis known throughout the Triassic and exhibits a cosmopolitan geographic range, little is known of its evolutionary relationships. We recoverPalacrodonoutside of crown reptiles (Sauria) but more crownward thanYoungina capensisand other late Permian diapsids. Furthermore,Palacrodonpossesses anatomical features that add clarity to the evolution of the stapes within the reptilian lineage, as well as incipient adaptations for arboreality and herbivory during the earliest phases of the Permo–Triassic recovery.