| Pseudhesperosuchus Temporal range:Norian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restored skeleton | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Genus: | †Pseudhesperosuchus Bonaparte 1969 |
| Species | |
Pseudhesperosuchus (meaning "falseHesperosuchus") is agenus ofsphenosuchian, a type ofbasalcrocodylomorph, theclade that comprises thecrocodilians and their closest kin. It is known from a partial skeleton and skull found in rocks of theLate Triassic (Norian-age)Los Colorados Formation of theIschigualasto-Villa Unión Basin in northwesternArgentina.
Pseudhesperosuchus isbased onPVL 3830. This specimen consists of a skull and lower jaws, most of thevertebral column, theshoulder girdle, and parts of the arms and legs. The genus was named byJosé Bonaparte in 1969. Thetype species isP. jachaleri.[1] The skull, though nearly complete, is poorly preserved, and some of its bones and sutures have been misidentified over the years.[2] A 2002phylogenetic analysis of sphenosuchians performed by James Clark and Hans–Dieter Sues foundPseudhesperosuchus to have an unresolved position along with several other sphenosuchians, neither closer to true crocodiles or toSphenosuchus.[3] The genus is sometimes misspelledPseudohesperosuchus, as in Carroll (1988).[4]
