| Neuquensuchus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Clade: | Solidocrania |
| Clade: | Crocodyliformes |
| Clade: | Mesoeucrocodylia |
| Genus: | †Neuquensuchus Fiorelli & Calvo, 2007 |
| Type species | |
| Neuquensuchus universitas Fiorelli & Calvo, 2007 | |
Neuquensuchus (meaning "Neuquéncrocodile", referring to the city) is anextinctgenus ofcrocodyliform from theSantonian-ageUpper CretaceousBajo de la Carpa Formation ofNeuquén Province,Argentina. The known remains were discovered on the campus ofUniversidad Nacional del Comahue in the city of Neuquén.Neuquensuchus was named by Lucas E. Fiorelli and Jorge O. Calvo in a publication dated to 2007, but which became available in 2008. Thetype species isN. universitas, in recognition of its discovery locality. Unlike the great majority of crocodyliforms, itsshin was longer than itsthigh, suggesting it had some running ability.[1]
Neuquensuchus isbased onMUCPv-47, a partially articulated partialpostcranial skeleton composed of six neck, four back, two hip, and five tailvertebrae; ribs; partial rightshoulder blade and arm; left shoulder blade andupper arm; a partialpelvis; and most of the right leg above the foot. Another specimen, MUCPv-161, composed of some left leg bones, was also assigned to the new genus.[1]
It had a relatively long and slender neck. The limb bones were also slender. It was not a large animal; the upper arm bones of the type specimen measure about 10.0 centimeters (about 3.9 in) long, thethigh bone about 9.4 centimeters (about 3.7 in) long, and theshin bone about 10.5 centimeters (about 4.1 in) long. Unlike all known crocodyliforms with measurable leg bones exceptShantungosuchus, the shin was longer than the femur.[1]
Fiorelli and Calvo ran aphylogenetic analysis of their new genus and found it to be allied withShantungosuchus,Sichuanosuchus,Zosuchus, andFruitachampsa. This phylogeny complicated the paleobiogeographical history basal non-neosuchian crocodyliforms more derived than Protosuchia becauseNeuquensuchus is endemic to South America and other putative allied genera are older and from Laurasia.[1] While several subsequent cladistic analyses recoveredNeuquensuchus as a member of thenotosuchian cladeZiphosuchia, a position which is more consistent with the fossil record and paleobiogeography of non-neosuchian mesoeucrocodylians,[2][3] the original position was upheld by an analysis conducted by Gabriel Liu and colleagues in 2017.[4]
Neuquensuchus shared its environment with a variety of animals, includingsnakes (Dinilysia), other crocodyliforms (Comahuesuchus,Cynodontosuchus,Notosuchus, and an unnamed form), and a variety ofdinosaurs includingabelisaurids,noasaurid (Velocisaurus), andalvarezsaurid (Alvarezsaurus)theropods,titanosaurians includingBonitasaura, andbirds (Neuquenornis andPatagopteryx).Neuquensuchus, a small, slender crocodyliform, had limb proportions well-suited torunning, and was probably a swift, land-living animal.[1]
