Microsuchus Explained

Microsuchus is an extinct genus of mesoeucrocodylians, belonging to Notosuchia.^[1] Fossils have been found in the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, dating to the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous.^[2]

Classification

Originally classified as a goniopholidid on the basis of the platycoelous vertebral centra,^[3] Microsuchus was recently redescribed and recovered as either a neosuchian or notosuchian. Diagnostic features include the presence of a bulge lateral to the prezygapophyses of the second sacral vertebra, elongated posterior zeugopodia, and proximal caudal centra with a triangular cross section.^[4] A 2017 cladistic analysis of Razanandrongobe further clarified the phylogenetic position of Microsuchus by recovering it as a primitive notosuchian.^[5]

External links

• Microsuchus in the Paleobiology Database

Notes and References

1. 10.1086/624165 . Mook . C. C. . 1934 . The evolution and classification of the crocodilia . The Journal of Geology . 42 . 3 . 295–304 . 1934JG.....42..295M. 128568052 .
2. Markwick . P. J. . 1998 . Crocodilian diversity in space and time: The role of climate in paleoecology and its implication for understanding K/T extinctions. 2401182. 10.1017/S009483730002011X . Paleobiology . 24 . 4 . 470–497. 1998Pbio...24..470M .
3. Saez, M. D. d. . 1928. Un nuevo goniofolido Argentino. Anales de la Sociedad Cientifica Argentina, Buenos Aires. 105. 287–290.
4. Redescription and reevaluation of the taxonomical status of Microsuchus schilleri (Crocodyliformes: Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Neuquén, Argentina. Cretaceous Research . 52 . 153–166 . 10.1016/j.cretres.2014.09.007 . 2015 . Leardi . Juan Martín . Fiorelli . Lucas E. . Gasparini . Zulma . 2015CrRes..52..153L . 11336/124599 . free .
5. Dal Sasso C, Pasini G, Fleury G, Maganuco S. (2017) Razanandrongobe sakalavae, a gigantic mesoeucrocodylian from the Middle Jurassic of Madagascar, is the oldest known notosuchian. PeerJ 5:e3481 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3481