Uberabasuchus

Summary

Uberabasuchus ("Uberaba crocodile")[1] is an extinct genus of crocodylomorph from the Late Cretaceous Serra da Galga Formation of Brazil. It appears to have a high skull like that of the sebecosuchians, but differs from them in having teeth with circular cross-section. Thus, rather than slicing flesh and blood vessels, it is likely to have inflicted powerful crushing bites (same is likely for Lomasuchus and Peirosaurus). The post-crania and the geology suggesting an arid climate indicate that Uberabasuchus was likely a terrestrial predator.[2]

Uberabasuchus
Temporal range: Campanian-Maastrichtian
~85–66 Ma
Life restoration of Uberabasuchus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Suborder: Notosuchia
Clade: Sebecosuchia
Clade: Sebecia
Family: Peirosauridae
Genus: Uberabasuchus
Carvalho et al. 2004
Species
  • U. terrificus Carvalho et al. 2004 (type)

References edit

  1. ^ Uberabasuchus at Fossilworks.org
  2. ^ Crocodiles in the shadow of dinosaurs

Further reading edit

  • Uberabasuchus terrificus sp. nov., a New Crocodylomorpha from the Bauru Basin (Upper Cretaceous), Brazil - original description of genus (pdf)