Mahajangasuchidae

Mahajangasuchidae
Temporal range: 95–66 Ma

Cenomanian - Maastrichtian

Mahajangasuchus insignis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Metasuchia
Family: Mahajangasuchidae
Sereno and Larsson, 2009
Genera

Mahajangasuchidae is an extinct family of neosuchian crocodyliforms. It currently contains two genera, Mahajangasuchus and Kaprosuchus, both of which lived during the Late Cretaceous in Gondwana. It is defined as the most inclusive clade containing Mahajangasuchus insignis but not Notosuchus terrestris, Simosuchus clarki, Araripesuchus gomesii, Baurusuchus pachecoi, Peirosaurus torminni, Goniopholis crassidens, Pholidosaurus schaumbergensis, or Crocodylus niloticus.[1] Phylogenetically, Mahajangasuchidae is placed just outside pholidosaurids and more derived neosuchians.

Defining characters of the family include fused nasals, a jaw articulation below the posterior maxillary tooth row, a deep mandibular symphysis that is oriented anterodorsally, and the formation of a hornlike posterodorsal process from the squamosal and parietal (which is much more pronounced in Kaprosuchus).

Cladogram showing the phylogenetic relationship of Mahajangasuchidae within Neosuchia after Sereno and Larsson, 2009:[1]

Neosuchia 

Sebecia


unnamed
 Mahajangasuchidae 

Mahajangasuchus



Kaprosuchus



unnamed

Pholidosauridae


unnamed

Laganosuchus


unnamed

Bernissartia


unnamed

Isisfordia



Crocodylia








References

  1. 1 2 Sereno, P. C.; Larsson, H. C. E. (2009). "Cretaceous crocodyliforms from the Sahara". ZooKeys 28 (2009): 1–143. doi:10.3897/zookeys.28.325.

External links


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