| Smilosuchus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Skeleton ofS. gregorii | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauromorpha |
| Clade: | Archosauriformes |
| Order: | †Phytosauria |
| Family: | †Parasuchidae |
| Clade: | †Leptosuchomorpha |
| Genus: | †Smilosuchus Long & Murry,1995 |
| Type species | |
| †Machaeroprosopus gregorii Camp, 1930 | |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
Synonyms ofS. adamanensis:
Synonyms ofS. gregorii:
Synonyms ofS. lithodendrorum:
| |
Smilosuchus (meaning "chisel crocodile") is anextinctgenus ofleptosuchomorphparasuchid from theLate Triassic ofNorth America.
The type species was first described in 1995 as a replacement generic name forLeptosuchus gregorii.[1] Because of the large rostral crest it possessed, it was considered to be distinct enough from other species ofLeptosuchus (all of which had smaller and more restricted crests) to be within its own genus. Some studies seem to suggest thatSmilosuchus is congeneric withLeptosuchus, as the enlarged crest could have been independently developed inLeptosuchus.[2] However, newer studies support the idea thatSmilosuchus is distinct from the type species ofLeptosuchus,Leptosuchus crosbiensis. Phylogenetic analyses suggest thatSmilosuchus is more closely related tomystriosuchins than toLeptosuchus species.[3][4]
Like all phytosaurs,Smilosuchus had thenostrils close to the top of itshead. Therostral crest and nasal bulge supporting these raised nostrils was larger inSmilosuchus than in many other phytosaurs. Its skull was extremely large, up to 155 cm long, although estimates for the overall length vary from 7 m (23 ft)[5] to 12 m (39 ft). Thejaws are very short and broad and theteeth areheterodont, with largetusks at the anterior of themouth for impalingprey and more blade-like teeth for slicing flesh closer to the back of the mouth. The tusks are mounted on a bulge at the tip of the snout present in nearly all phytosaurs. Itssquamosal processes are short and deep, indicating a powerful bite. This coupled with its large size (it is one of the largest known phytosaurs) suggests that it hunted large prey such asPlacerias.[6]
Below is acladogram from Stocker (2012):[4]
| Phytosauria |
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