Aprosuchus ghirai gen. &. sp. nov.Â
MÃrton Venczel & Vlad A. Codrea (2019)
A new Theriosuchus-like crocodyliform from the Maastrichtian of Romania
Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
Highlights
Three-dimensional skull of a brevirostrine crocodyliform is described
The new genus from âHaÈeg Islandâ is deeply nested in Atoposauridae
Survival of atoposaurids is presumed up to the Late Cretaceous
Abstract
We describe a new, small-sized atoposaurid crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of HaÈeg Basin, Romania. Aprosuchus ghirai gen. nov. sp. nov. is represented by a nearly complete three-dimensional skull with articulating mandibles and an associated fragmentary procoelous cervical vertebra that may have belonged to the same subadult individual. The new taxon possesses a heterodont dentition with at least four distinct tooth morphotypes including pseudocaniniform, pseudoziphodont lanceolate, ziphodont lanceolate and âlow-crownedâ teeth. It differs from Sabresuchus sympiestodon, the other Theriosuchus-like taxon from the same stratigraphic unit, in having less enlarged fang-like teeth, a 'w' shaped naso-frontal articulation and extremely large palpebrals strongly fused to the orbital margin. The new taxon shares with other atoposaurids a broad oreinirostral rostrum, a vascular opening on the dorsal surface of postorbital bar, a small antorbital fenestra, a partially septated choanal groove and symmetrically developed lateral compression of maxillary teeth. Other synapomorphies of Aprosuchus are shared by a broader range of taxa including Wannchampsus and paralligatorids. The fossil record indicates that these small, highly specialized crocodylomorphs survived up to the latest Cretaceous by colonizing remote and rather complex insular ecosystems in the western Tethyan archipelago.
Cricosaurus bambergensis sp. nov.Â
Sven Sachs, Mark T. Young, Pascal Abel, and Heinrich Mallison (2019)
A new species of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph Cricosaurus from the Upper Jurassic of southern Germany.
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica (in press)
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Here we describe a new species of the metriorhynchid thalattosuchian Cricosaurus, C. bambergensis sp. nov., from the Upper Jurassic Torleite Formation of Wattendorf near Bamberg, Bavaria (southern Germany). The holotype and only known specimen is a nearly complete skeleton that shows a number of diagnostic traits including a bicarinate dentition formed by labiolingually compressed tooth crowns that lack a conspicuous enamel ornamentation and the presence of a distinct midline ridge with paired depressions on the palatines. Our phylogenetic analysis recovers a grouping of Cricosaurus bambergensis sp. nov. with C. elegans and C. suevicus. The implications of the new Cricosaurus species to the species complex from the late Kimmeridgianâearly Tithonian of southern Germany is discussed. Our description of C. bambergensis demonstrates that the specific, and morphological, diversity of Cricosaurus in southern Germany was higher than previously thought. This coincides with the recent trend of re-evaluating the species-complexes of extant taxa, and the identification of new "cryptic species". As such, the crocodylomorph fossil record will need to be re- examined to ensure there is not an underestimation of their biodiversity.