| Lomasuchus Fossil range: Late Cretaceous | |
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Lomasuchinae |
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Lomasuchus |
Lomasuchus is an extinct genus of peirosaurid mesoeucrocodylian. Fossils have been found from the Río Colorado Formation of the Neuquén Group outcropping in Neuquén Province, Argentina[1]. The formation dates back to the Late Cretaceous, although the exact time of deposition is unknown (it most likely formed during either the Coniacian and Santonian stages or the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages).
Lomasuchus had a deep, narrow snout characteristic of peirosaurids. The serrated teeth were compressed, although not to the extent seen in other related genera such as Peirosaurus. Many similarities can be seen between its morphology and that of the related Uberabasuchus, such as the narrow snout and a groove at the maxilla-premaxilla contact that accommodated for an enlarged fourth mandibular tooth. The two genera are distinguished from one another on the basis of several features, including the shape of the orbits[2].
Lomasuchus lends its name to a new subfamily of peirosaurids recently constructed called the Lomasuchinae, of which it is the type genus. It along with the tribe Mahajangasuchini, which includes Mahajangasuchus and Uberabasuchus, constitute Lomasuchinae.
References[]
- ^ Gasparini, Z., Chiappe, L. M. and Fernandez, M. (1991). A new Senonian peirosaurid (Crocodylomorpha) from Argentina and a synopsis of the South American Cretaceous crocodilians. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 11:316-333.
- ^ Carvalho, I. d. S., Ribeiro, L. C. B. and Avilla, L. d. S. (2004). Uberabasuchus terrificus sp. nov., a new Crocodylomorpha from the Bauru Basin (Upper Cretaceous), Brazil. Gondwana Research 7(4):975-1002.
External links[]
- Lomasuchus in the Paleobiology Database
