Ticinosuchus Explained

Ticinosuchus is an extinct genus of suchian archosaur from the Middle Triassic (Anisian - Ladinian) of Switzerland and Italy.[1]

Description

One of only a handful of fossil reptiles that have been found in Switzerland, Ticinosuchus (meaning "Ticino crocodile" due to its origin from the Swiss canton Ticino) was about 3m (10feet) long, and its whole body, even the belly, was covered in thick, armoured scutes. These scutes were sometimes considered to have been staggered, alternating between several rows.[2] However, some studies refute this claim, instead purporting that the scutes were aligned in neat rows, with a one-to-one assignment of scutes to vertebrae.[3] The structure of the hips shows that its legs were placed under the body almost vertically. Coupled with the development of a calcaneus and a specialized ankle joint, this would have made Ticinosuchus a fast runner, unlike most earlier reptiles.[4] Ticinosuchus is thought to be very close to or possible even the same species that made the Cheirotherium trace fossils found in Germany. It too shows a narrow track-way, similar to that of Ticinosuchus. It is one of the most famous fossils of Besano.[5] Fish scales have been preserved in the abdomen of the specimen. This was likely indicative of a piscivorous diet.[6] Ticinosuchus shares many similarities with paracrocodylomorphs, such as certain adaptations of the ischium and possibly (but not certainly) hyposphene-hypantrum articulations.[7] [8]

References

Notes and References

  1. Sterling J. Nesbitt . 2011. The Early Evolution of Archosaurs: Relationships and the Origin of Major Clades. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 352. 1–292. 10.1206/352.1. 2246/6112. 83493714. free.
  2. Nesbitt. Sterling J.. Sidor. Christian A.. Angielczyk. Kenneth D.. Smith. Roger M. H.. Tsuji. Linda A.. 2014-09-19. A new archosaur from the Manda beds (Anisian, Middle Triassic) of southern Tanzania and its implications for character state optimizations at Archosauria and Pseudosuchia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. en. 34. 6. 1357–1382. 10.1080/02724634.2014.859622. 2014JVPal..34.1357N . 129558756. 0272-4634.
  3. Ezcurra. Martín D.. 2016-04-28. The phylogenetic relationships of basal archosauromorphs, with an emphasis on the systematics of proterosuchian archosauriforms. PeerJ. en. 4. e1778. 10.7717/peerj.1778. 27162705. 2167-8359. 4860341 . free .
  4. Book: Palmer, D.. 1999 . The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. Marshall Editions. London. 95. 978-1-84028-152-1.
  5. Web site: Ticinosuco (Ticinosuchus).
  6. Nesbitt. Sterling J.. Brusatte. Stephen L.. Desojo. Julia B.. Liparini. Alexandre. França. Marco A. G. De. Weinbaum. Jonathan C.. Gower. David J.. 2013-01-01. Rauisuchia. Geological Society, London, Special Publications. en. 379. 1. 241–274. 10.1144/SP379.1. 2013GSLSP.379..241N. 219193351. 0305-8719.
  7. Lautenschlager. Stephan. Desojo. Julia Brenda. 2011-04-13. Reassessment of the Middle Triassic rauisuchian archosaurs Ticinosuchus ferox and Stagonosuchus nyassicus. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. en. 85. 4. 357–381. 10.1007/s12542-011-0105-1. 2011PalZ...85..357L . 86671911. 0031-0220. 11336/68929. free.
  8. Stefanic. Candice M.. Nesbitt. Sterling J.. 2018-02-14. The axial skeleton of Poposaurus langstoni (Pseudosuchia: Poposauroidea) and its implications for accessory intervertebral articulation evolution in pseudosuchian archosaurs. PeerJ. en. 6. e4235. 10.7717/peerj.4235. 29472991. 2167-8359. 5816584 . free .

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