Middle-late Triassic landscape of southern Brazil showing a large Prestosuchus chiniquensis feeding on the carcass of a dicynodont while individuals of Parvosuchus aurelioi compete for the remains. – MATHEUS FERNANDES / NATURE
MADRID, June 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Fossils of a new predatory reptile called Parvosuchus aurelioi – from the group of crocodile-like pseudosuchians – are described in the journal Scientific Reports.
The specimen, which dates back to approximately 237 million yearsduring the Middle-Late Triassic, is the first small predatory reptile of its kind found in Brazil.
Before the dominance of the dinosaurs, pseudosuchians were a common form of ancient quadrupedal reptile during the Triassic Period (252 – 201 million years ago), and some species were among the largest carnivores of the time. Smaller pseudosuchians known as gracilisuchids lived alongside these top predators and have been found in areas such as China and Argentina, Phys.org reports.
Now, Rodrigo Müller of the Federal University of Santa María (Brazil) reports the discovery of a new species of gracilisuchid from a specimen found in the Santa María Formation in Brazil.
The partial skeleton dates back to approximately 237 million years ago and consists of a complete skull including the lower jaw, 11 dorsal vertebrae, a pelvis, and partially preserved limbs. The author names the new species Parvosuchus aurelioi, which is derived from ‘parvus’ (small) and ‘suchus’ (crocodile) and honors the amateur paleontologist Pedro Lucas Porcela Aurélio, who discovered the fossil materials.
The skull measures 14.4 centimeters long and has long, thin jaws. with pointed teeth that curve backwards and several openings in the skull. The skeleton is of lightweight construction and is estimated to measure less than a meter in total length. These characteristics classify P. aurelioi as a gracilisuchid, making it the first species of that group confirmed in Brazil, according to the author. This finding highlights the diversity among Triassic pseudosuchians, he adds.
