Prehistoric Models: Archosauromorphs
Archosauromorpha meaning “ruling reptile forms” in greek, is a clade of diapsid reptiles containing all reptiles more closely related to archosaurs. Archosaurs include crocodilians, dinosaurs, and birds (avian dinosaurs), rather than lepidosaurus including snakes, lizards, and tuataras.
Archosaurmorphs first appear during the middle Permian, though they became much more common and diverse during the Triassic Period. Archosaurmorpha is one of the most diverse groups of reptiles, but its members can be united by several shared skeletal characteristics.
Primary source of the data below courtesy: http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Order: Protorosauria – Clade: Prolacertiformer – Family: Tanystrophidae
(tanystropheids)
Triassic
Genus: Tanystropheus “long strap“
Genus pronounced: Tan-ee-stro-fee-us
Species: T. conspicuous, T. longbardicus, T. meridensis
Named by: Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer - 1852
Classification: Family: Tanystrophidae
Time: Triassic (Anisian to Carnian)
Locality: Europe, Middle East and China
Size: 6 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Allokotosauria – Family: Azendohsauridae
(azendohsaurs)
Middle Triassic (Ladinian) to Late Triassic (Carnian)
Genus: Shringasaurus “horned lizard“
Genus pronounced: Shrin-gah-sore-us
Species: S. indicus (type)
Named by: S. Sengupta, M. D. Ezcurra & S. Bandyopadhyay - 2017
Classification: Family: Azendohsauridae
Time: Middle Triassic (Anisian)
Locality: India, Madhya Pradesh – Denwa Formation
Size: 4 meters long
Diet: Herbivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Family: Proterosuchidae
(archosaurformes)
Late Permian to Early Triassic
Genus: Proterosuchus “early crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Pro-teh-ro-su-kuss
Species: P. fergusi (type), P. alexanderi, P. goweri
Named by: Robert Broom - 1903
Classification: Family: Proterosuchidae
Time: Early Triassic (Induan)
Locality: China and South Africa
Size: 3.5 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Order: Rhynchosauria – Family: Hyperodapedontidae – Subfamily: Hyperodapedon
(rhynchosauria)
Early to Late Triassic
Genus: Hyperodapedon “best pestle tooth“
Genus pronounced: High-per-o-dap-e-don
Species: H. gordoni (type), H. huenei, H. huxleyi, H. mariensis, H. sanjuanensis, H. tikiensis
Named by: Thomas Henry Huxley - 1859
Classification: Order: Rhynchosauria, Family: Hyperodapedontinae, Subfamily: Hyperodapedontinae
Time: Late Triassic (Carnian)
Locality: Argentina, Brazil, India, Scotland
Size: 1.3 meters long
Diet: Herbivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Family: Euparkeriidae
(early archosaur)
Early Triassic to Middle Triassic
Genus: Euparkeria “Parker’s good animals“
Genus pronounced: You-par-kare-ree-ah
Species: E. capensis (type)
Named by: Robert Broom - 1913
Classification: Family: Euparkeriidae
Time: Early Triassic (Olenekian)
Locality: South Africa
Size: 60 centimeters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Informal group: Rauisuchia
(“Rauisuchids”)
Early Triassic to Late Triassic
Diagnostic features:
The dominant large, terrestrial predators during the Triassic.
Large heads with crocodileilike armor scutes on back.
Legs held beneath body; hind legs longer than front (some bipedal?).
Recent studies suggest that this group is paraphyletic.
Genus: Postosuchus “Crocodile from Post“
Genus pronounced: Poest-oh-sook-us
Species: P. kirkpatricki (type), P. alisonae
Named by: Sankar Chatterjee - 1985
Classification: Family: Rausisuchidae
Time: Late Triassic (Carnian to Norian)
Locality: Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas; USA
Size: 4 to 5 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Prestosuchus “fast crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Press-oh-soo-kus
Species: P. chiniquensis (type)
Named by: Friedrich von Huene - 1942
Classification: Family: Prestosuchidae
Time: Middle Triassic (Ladinian)
Locality: Brazil – Santa Maria Formation
Size: 5 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Ornithosuchus “bird crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Or-nif-oh-soo-kus
Species: O. woodwardi (type)
Named by:Thomas Henry Huxley - 1877
Classification: Family: Ornithosuchidae
Time: Late Triassic (Carnian)
Locality: Scotland
Size: 2.2 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Order: Phytosauria – Family: Phytosauridae
(Phytosaurs)
Middle Triassic to Late Triassic
Diagnostic features:
Large, sprawling, semi-aquatic carnivores.
Long, slender snout, with nostrils close to eyes.
Convergenly resembles modern crocodiles (particualry gavials).
Genus: Rutiodon “wrinkled tooth“
Genus pronounced: Roo-tee-oh-don
Species: R. manhattanensis (type).R. carolinensis
Named by: Ebenezer Emmons - 1856
Classification: Family: Phytosauridae
Time: Late Triassic
Locality: Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, USA - Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Size: 3 to 8 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Click here to see my Phytosaur fossils click here.
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Order: Aetosauria
(Aetosaurs)
Late Triassic
Diagnostic features:
Heavily armored with bony plates (osteoderms) covering back, spikes on side.
Relatively small heads.
Herbivores (convergent evolution with Ankylosaur dinosaurs).
Genus: Desmatosuchus “link crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Dez-mat-oh-soo-kus
Species: D. spurensis (type), D. haplocerus, D. smalli.
Named by: Case – 1920
Classification: Family: Stagonolepididae, Subfamily: Desmatosuchinae
Time: Late Triassic (Carnian to Norian)
Locality: Texas
Size: 4.5 to 5 meters long
Diet: Herbivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Superorder: Crocodylomorpha – Clade: Crocodyliformes – Family: Protosuchidae
(early crocodiles)
Late Triassic (Norian) to Early Cretaceous (Albian)
Genus: Protosuchus “first crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Pro-toe-soo-kus
Species: P. richardsoni(type), P. haughtoni, P. micmac
Named by: Barnum Brown - 1934
Classification: Suborder: Crocodylomorpha, Family: Protosuchidae
Time: Early Jurassic
Locality: Canada - Nova Scotia. USA - Arizona. South Africa
Size: 1 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Superorder: Crocodylomorpha – Clade: Crocodyliformes – Clade: Mesoeucrocodyl – Suborder: Thalattosuchia
(marine crocodiles)
Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous
Diagnostic features:
A clade of fully aquatic crocodylomorphs (crocodile relatives).
Adapted to marine environment: limbs form paddle-like fins.
Hindfins larger than small front fins; toe structure usually visible.
Tail fluke present.
Lacked dermal armor of other Pseudosuchians.
Genus: Plesiosuchus “near crocodile”
Genus pronounced: Ples-e-oh-soo-kus
Species: P. manselii (type)
Named by: Richard Owen - 1884
Classification: Suborder: Thalattosuchia, Family: Metriorhynchidae, Subfamily: Geosaurinae
Time: Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)
Locality: England - Kimmeridge Clay Formation
Size: 5.2 to 6.83 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Metriorhynchus “moderate snout“
Genus pronounced: Met-ree-oh-rink-us
Species: M. brevirostris (type)
Named by: Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer - 1830
Classification: Suborder: Thalattosuchia, Family: Metriorhynchidae
Time: Jurassic (Callovian through to Kimmeridgian)
Locality: Europe
Size: 3 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Dakosaurus “tearing lizard/biter lizard”
Genus pronounced: Dack-oh-sore-us
Species:D. maximus (type), D. andiniensis
Named by:Friedrich August von Quenstedt - 1856
Classification: Suborder: Thalattosuchia, Family: Metriorhynchidae, Subfamily: Geosaurinae
Time: Jurassic (Oxfordian) to Early Cretaceous (Berriasian)
Locality: Europe, North America, South America, Russia
Size: 4 to 5 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Superorder: Crocodylomorpha – Clade: Crocodyliformes – Clade: Mesoeucrocodylia – Clade: Metasuchia – Clade: Ziphosuchia – Suborder: Notosuchia
(Gondwanan crocodylomorphs)
Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous
Diagnostic features:
A group of stem crocs from the southern hemisoohere.
Back covered in armored scutes called osteroderms.
Terrestrial, with legs held beneath body.
Diverse in apprearance and lifestyle: includes herbivores, ominvoures, and carnivores.
Some were burriwers with armadillo-like bands of armor.
Genus: Kaprosuchus “boar crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Kap-roe-soo-kuss
Species: K. saharicus (type)
Named by: Paul Sereno & Hans Larsson - 2009
Classification: Suborder: Notosuchia, Family: Mahajangasuchidae
Time: Early Cretaceous (Cenomanian)
Locality: Africa, Niger, Echkar Formation
Size: 3.3 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Montealtosuchus “crocodile from Monte Alto municipality“
Genus pronounced: Mon-te-al-to-oh-soo-kus
Species: M. arrudacamposi (type)
Named by: Carvalho – 2007
Classification: Suborder: Notosuchia, Family: Peirosauridae
Time: Late Cretaceous (Campanian to Maastrichtian)
Locality: Brazil – Adamantina Formartion
Size: 2 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Order: Choristodera – Suborder: Nechoristodera
(choristodera)
Middle Jurassic to Miocene
Genus: Champsosaurus “crocodile lizard“
Genus pronounced: Champ-so-sore-us
Species: C. albertensis, C. australis, C. gigas, C. laramiensis, C. lindoei, C. lindoei, C. natator, C. tenuis
Named by: Edward Drinker Cope - 1877
Classification: Order: Choristodera, Family: Champsosauridae
Time: Cretaceous (Turonian) to Paleocene (Thanetian)
Locality: Canada and USA
Size: 1.5 to 3.5 meters long
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Eucrocopoda – Clade: Crurotarsi – Clade: Archosauria – Clade: Pseudosuchia – Clade: Suchia – Clade: Paracrocodylomorpha – Clade: Loricata – Superorder: Crocodylomorpha – Clade: Crocodyliformes – Clade: Mesoeucrocodylia – Clade: Metasuchia – Clade: Neosuchia – Clade: Eusuchia – Order: Crocodylia
(modern crocodiles)
Late Cretaceous to Holocene
Diagnostic features:
Includes modern alligators, crocodiles, and extinct relatives.
Includes the modern Crocodylia.
Generally had elongated snouts.
Back covered in armored scutes.
Mostly semiaquatic, elongated body, flattened tail, and sprawling limbs.
Paraphyletic: the fully aquatic Thalattosuchians are derived from within this group.
Genus: Pristichampsus “saw crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Priss-tee-champ-sus
Species: P. rollinatii (type),P. geiseltalensis, P. vorax
Named by: Gervais – 1853
Classification: Order: Crocodylia, Family: Pristichampidae
Time: Eocene (Lutetian)
Locality: Eurasia and North America
Size: 3 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Sarcosuchus “flesh crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Sar-ko-su-kus
Species: S. imperator (type), S. hartti
Named by: France de Broin & Phillipe Taquet 1966
Classification: Order: Crocodylia, Family: Pholidosauridae
Time: Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian to Albian)
Locality: Eurasia and North America
Size: 9 to 11 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus: Deinosuchus “terrible crocodile“
Genus pronounced: Dy-no-su-kus
Species:D. hatcheri (type), D. rugosus, D. riograndensis, D. schwimmeri
Named by: William Jacob Holland - 1909
Classification: Order: Crocodylia, Family: Alligatoridea
Time: Late Cretaceous (Campanian)
Locality: Mexico and USA
Size: 10 to 12 meters long
Diet: Carnivore
Genus and species: Crocodylus porosus
Common Name: Saltwater crocodile
Named by: Schneider – 1801
Classification: Order: Crocodilia, Family: Crocodylidae
Time: Pliocene to Holocene
Locality: Southeat Asia, Micronesia, and Sundaic region to northern Australia
Size: Males 6 m (20 ft), Femailes 3 m (10 ft)
Diet: Carnivore
Genus and species: Alligator mississippiensis
Common Name: American alligator
Named by: Daudin – 1802
Classification: Order: Crocodilia, Family: Alligatoridae, Subfamily: Alligatorinae
Time: Miocene to Holocene
Locality: Southeast United States/Gulf Coast
Size: Males 3.4 to 4.8 m (11.2 to 15.7 ft), Femailes 2.6 to 3 m (8.5 to 9.8 ft)
Diet: Carnivore
Genus and species: Gavialis gangeticus
Common Name: Gharial
Named by: Schneider – 1801
Classification: Order: Crocodilia, Family: Gavialidae
Time: Pleisocene to Holocene
Locality: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
Size: Males 3 to 6 m (9 ft 10 in to 19 ft 8 in), Femailes 2.6 to 4.5 m (8 ft 6 in to 14 ft 9in)
Diet: Carnivore
Click here to see my Crocodile fossils click here.
Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Superclass: Tetrapoda – Class: Reptilia – Clade: Diapsids – Clade: Archosauromorpha – Clade: Crocopoda – Clade: Archosauriformes – Clade: Sauropsida – Clade: Avemetatarsalia (Ornithodira)
(pterosaurs, avian dinosaurs, and nonavian dinosaurs)
Early Triassic to Holocene
These groups are classified under Archosaurmorphs too, but each has their own page:
Dinosaurs
Non Avian Dinosaurs
Birds
Avian Dinosaurs
