Biology:Montealtosuchus
Montealtosuchus is an extinct genus of terrestrial crocodyliform.[1] It was discovered in 2004 in the Bauru Basin of Brazil, from Campanian-Maastrichtian deposits of the Adamantina Formation. The species was described in 2007,[2] and assigned to the family Peirosauridae.[1] The type species is M. arrudacamposi. The genus takes its name from the type locality in Monte Alto municipality.
This fossil, which was found in 2004, near the town of Monte Alto, in São Paulo state is very well preserved and quite complete. Most importantly, skull material has been found and this can help to link this fossil specimen with today's modern crocodiles. It would have grown to about 2 metres in length and would have been an active predator of smaller animals including dinosaurs. Biomechanical analyses indicate its oreinirostral (dome-shaped) skull was quite efficient, producing relatively high bite forces (between 828–1013 Newtons), with a strong, controlled bite for its body size. [3] Perhaps it was more terrestrial than its modern relatives, using its semi-upright gait to pursue prey.[4]
External links and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 C. F. C. Geroto; R. J. Bertini (2019). "New material of Pepesuchus (Crocodyliformes; Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Bauru Group: implications about its phylogeny and the age of the Adamantina Formation". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 185 (2): 312-334. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zly037. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zly037.
- ↑ I. d. S. Carvalho, F. M. d. Vasconcellos, and S. A. S. Tavares. (2007). Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, a new peirosaurid crocodile (Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Cretaceous Adamantina Formation of Brazil. Zootaxa 1607:35-46
- ↑ Srinivas, Ananth; Bright, Jen A.; Cunningham, John A.; Tavares, Sandra Aparecida Simionato; Ricardi-Branco, Fresia; de Souza Carvalho, Ismar; Iori, Fabiano Vidoi; Rayfield, Emily J. (2025-11-12). "Constraints and adaptations in crocodyliform skull evolution". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292 (2058). doi:10.1098/rspb.2025.1773. PMC 12614795. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.1773.
- ↑ "Crocodile "Missing Link" Unearthed in Brazil". February 2008. http://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2008/02/01/3500211.html.
Template:Notosuchia Wikidata ☰ Q138443 entry
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