Hylaeochampsa

Heterosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodylomorph that may have been an eusuchian. It is known only from a partial skull recovered from Barremian-age rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Vectis Formation (Wealden Group) of the Isle of Wight. This skull, BMNH R 177, is short and wide, with an eusuchian-like palate and inferred enlarged posterior teeth that would have been suitable for crushing. Hylaochampsa was described by Richard Owen in 1874, with H. vectiana as the type species. It may be the same genus as the slightly older Heterosuchus, inferred to have been of similar evolutionary grade, but there is no overlapping material as Heterosuchus is known only from vertebrae. If the two could be shown to be synonyms, Hylaeochampsa would have priority because it is the older name. Hylaeochampsa is sometimes classified in its own family, Hylaeochampsidae, but since it would be the only taxon in the family, Hylaeochampsidae is considered redundant. James Clark and Mark Norell positioned it as the sister group to Crocodylia.