Maomingosuchus

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Maomingosuchus
Temporal range: Late Eocene: Priabonian, 37.8–33.9  Ma [1]
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Maomingosuchus petrolica.jpg
Two fossils, Zhejiang Natural History Museum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauromorpha
Clade: Archosauriformes
Order: Crocodilia
Clade: Longirostres
Superfamily: Gavialoidea
Genus: Maomingosuchus
Shan et al., 2017
Species
  • Maomingosuchus petrolica(Yeh, 1958) (Type)
  • Maomingosuchus acutirostrisMassonne et al., 2022
Synonyms

Maomingosuchus is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodylian from Late Eocene of Southeast Asia. It was discovered in Priabonian-aged deposits of China and possibly also Thailand. [2] The type species, originally Tomistoma petrolica, was named in 1958 [3] and was redescribed as Maomingosuchus in 2017. [4] A second species, Maomingosuchus acutirostris, was described in 2022 from middle-upper Eocence deposits (late BartonianPriabonian age, 39–35 Ma) of the Na Duong Basin in northern Vietnam. [5] It is proposed to be a basal member of Gavialoidea, [1] or alternatively within the family Tomistominae. [5] It was a relatively small gavialoid with an estimated total length of 3–3.5 metres (9.8–11.5 ft). [6] [4]

Skull, Tianjin Natural History Museum Maomingosuchus-Tianjin Natural History Museum.jpg
Skull, Tianjin Natural History Museum

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavialinae</span> Subfamily of gharial crocodylians

Gavialinae is a subfamily of large semiaquatic crocodilian reptiles, resembling crocodiles, but with much thinner snouts. Gavialinae is one of the two major subfamilies within the family Gavialidae - the other being the subfamily Tomistominae, which contains the false gharial and extinct relatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavialidae</span> Family of gharial crocodylians

Gavialidae is a family of large semiaquatic crocodilians with elongated, narrow snouts. Gavialidae consists of two living species, the gharial and the false gharial, both occurring in Asia. Many extinct members are known from a broader range, including the recently extinct Hanyusuchus. Gavialids are generally regarded as lacking the jaw strength to capture the large mammalian prey favoured by crocodiles and alligators of similar size so their thin snout is best used to catch fish, however the false gharial has been found to have a generalist diet with mature adults preying upon larger vertebrates, such as ungulates.

<i>Tomistoma</i> Genus of crocodilians

Tomistoma is a genus of gavialid crocodilians. They are noted for their long narrow snouts used to catch fish, similar to the gharial. Tomistoma contains one extant (living) member, the false gharial, as well as potentially several extinct species: T. cairense, T. lusitanicumT. coppensi, and T. dowsoni. However, these species may need to be reclassified to different genera as studies have shown them to be paraphyletic, for example: previously assigned species T. taiwanicus from Taiwan, is reclassified to the genus Toyotamaphimeia, and T. dowsoni should be excluded from Tomistoma based on phylogenetic analysis.

<i>Toyotamaphimeia</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Toyotamaphimeia is a genus of extinct gavialid crocodylian which lived in Japan and Taiwan during the Middle Pleistocene. A specimen recovered in 1964 at Osaka University during the construction of a new science building has been dated to around 430–380 thousand years old based on the stratum in which it was found. Toyotamaphimeia was a fairly large crocodylian measuring approximately 6.3–7.3 metres (21–24 ft) long. Two species are named, T. machikanensis from Japan and T. taiwanicus from Taiwan, both originally described as members of the genus Tomistoma.

<i>Gavialosuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Gavialosuchus is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodylian from the early Miocene of Europe. Currently only one species is recognized, as a few other species of Gavialosuchus have since been reclassified to other genera.

<i>Harpacochampsa</i> Extinct genus of crocodilian

Harpacochampsa is a poorly known Early Miocene crocodilian from the Bullock Creek lagerstätte of the Northern Territory, Australia. The current specimen consists of a partial skull and fragments of a long, slender snout reminiscent of that of a false gharial, demonstrating that it was a piscivore in life.

Dollosuchoides, colloquially known as the Crocodile of Maransart, is an extinct monospecific genus of gavialoid crocodilian, traditionally regarded as a member of the subfamily Tomistominae. Fossils have been found in the Brussel Formation of Maransart, Belgium and date back to the middle Eocene.

Eogavialis is an extinct genus of eusuchian crocodylomorph, usually regarded as a gavialoid crocodylian. It superficially resembles Tomistoma schlegelii, the extant false gharial, and consequently material from the genus was originally referred to Tomistoma. Indeed, it was not until 1982 that the name Eogavialis was constructed after it was realised that the specimens were from a more basal form.

<i>Eothoracosaurus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Eothoracosaurus is an extinct monospecific genus of eusuchian crocodylomorphs found in Eastern United States which existed during the Late Cretaceous period. Eothoracosaurus is considered to belong to an informally named clade called the "thoracosaurs", named after the closely related Thoracosaurus. Thoracosaurs in general were traditionally thought to be related to the modern false gharial, largely because the nasal bones contact the premaxillae, but phylogenetic work starting in the 1990s instead supported affinities within gavialoid exclusive of such forms. Even more recent phylogenetic studies suggest that thoracosaurs might instead be non-crocodilian eusuchians.

<i>Eosuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Eosuchus is an extinct genus of eusuchian crocodylomorph, traditionally regarded as a gavialoid crocodilian. It might have been among the most basal of all gavialoids, lying crownward of all other known members of the superfamily, including earlier putative members such as Thoracosaurus and Eothoracosaurus. Fossils have been found from France as well as eastern North America in Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey. The strata from which specimens have been found date back to the late Paleocene and early Eocene epochs.

<i>Gryposuchus</i> Extinct genus of gavialoid crocodilian

Gryposuchus is an extinct genus of gavialid crocodilian. Fossils have been found from Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and the Peruvian Amazon. The genus existed during the Miocene epoch. One recently described species, G. croizati, grew to an estimated length of 10 metres (33 ft). Gryposuchus is the type genus of the subfamily Gryposuchinae, although a 2018 study indicates that Gryposuchinae and Gryposuchus might be paraphyletic and rather an evolutionary grade towards the gharial.

<i>Kentisuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Kentisuchus is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodylian, traditionally regarded as a member of the subfamily Tomistominae. Fossils have been found from England and France that date back to the early Eocene. The genus has also been recorded from Ukraine, but it unclear whether specimens from Ukraine are referable to Kentisuchus.

Maroccosuchus zennaroi is an extinct gavialoid crocodylian from the Early Eocene of Morocco, traditionally regarded as a member of the subfamily Tomistominae.

Paratomistoma is an extinct monospecific genus of gavialoid crocodylian. It is based on the holotype specimen CGM 42188, a partial posterior skull and lower jaw discovered at Wadi Hitan, Egypt, in Middle Eocene-age rocks of the Gehannam Formation. The skull is unfused but considered morphologically mature. Paratomistoma was named in 2000 by Christopher Brochu and Philip Gingerich; the type species is P. courti in honor of Nicholas Court, who found CGM 42188. They performed a phylogenetic analysis and found Paratomistoma to be a derived member of Tomistominae, related to the false gharial. It may have been a marine or coastal crocodilian.

<i>Penghusuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Penghusuchus is an extinct genus of gavialid crocodylian. It is known from a skeleton found in Middle to Upper Miocene rocks of Penghu Island, off Taiwan. The taxon was described in 2009 by Shan and colleagues; the type species is P. pani. It may be related to two other fossil Asian gavialids: Toyotamaphimeia machikanensis of Japan and Hanyusuchus sinensis of South China. It was a medium-sized gavialid with an estimated total length of 4.5 metres (15 ft).

<i>Thecachampsa</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Thecachampsa is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodylian, traditionally regarded as a member of the subfamily Tomistominae. Fossils have been found from the eastern United States in deposits of Miocene age. Those named in the 19th century were distinguished primarily by the shape of their teeth, and have since been combined with T. antiquus. More recently erected species were reassigned from other genera, although their assignment to Thecachampsa has since been questioned.

Gryposuchinae is an extinct subfamily of gavialid crocodylians. Gryposuchines lived mainly in the Miocene of South America. However, "Ikanogavialis" papuensis may have survived more recently, into the Late Pleistocene/Holocene. Most were long-snouted coastal forms. The group was named in 2007 and includes genera such as Gryposuchus and Aktiogavialis, although a 2018 study indicates that the group might be paraphyletic and rather an evolutionary grade towards the gharial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavialoidea</span> Superfamily of large reptiles

Gavialoidea is one of three superfamilies of crocodylians, the other two being Alligatoroidea and Crocodyloidea. Although many extinct species are known, only the gharial Gavialis gangeticus and the false gharial Tomistoma schlegelii are alive today, with Hanyusuchus having become extinct in the last few centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomistominae</span> Subfamily of reptiles

Tomistominae is a subfamily of crocodylians that includes one living species, the false gharial. Many more extinct species are known, extending the range of the subfamily back to the Eocene epoch. In contrast to the false gharial, which is a freshwater species that lives only in southeast Asia, extinct tomistomines had a global distribution and lived in estuaries and along coastlines.

Tomistoma cairense is an extinct species of gavialoid crocodilian from the Lutetian stage of the Eocene era. It lived in North East Africa, especially Egypt. Remains of T. cairense have been found in the Mokattam Formation, in Mokattam, Egypt. Tomistoma cairense did not have a Maxilla process within their lacrimal gland, whereas all extant (living) crocodilians do.

References

  1. 1 2 Rio, Jonathan P.; Mannion, Philip D. (6 September 2021). "Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long-standing gharial problem". PeerJ . 9: e12094. doi: 10.7717/peerj.12094 . PMC   8428266 . PMID   34567843.
  2. Martin, Jeremy E.; Lauprasert, Komsorn; Tong, Haiyan; Suteethorn, Varavudh; Buffetaut, Eric (2019). "An Eocene tomistomine from peninsular Thailand". Annales de Paléontologie. 105 (3): 245–253. doi: 10.1016/j.annpal.2019.03.002 .
  3. H.-K. Yeh. (1958). A new crocodile from Maoming, Kwangtung. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 2(4):237-242
  4. 1 2 Hsi-Yin Shan; Xiao-Chun Wu; Yen-Nien Cheng; Tamaki Sato (2017). "Maomingosuchus petrolica, a restudy of "Tomistoma" petrolica Yeh, 1958". Palaeoworld. 26 (4): 672–690. doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2017.03.006.
  5. 1 2 Massonne T, Augustin FJ, Matzke AT, Weber E, Böhme M (2022). "A new species of Maomingosuchus from the Eocene of the Na Duong Basin (northern Vietnam) sheds new light on the phylogenetic relationship of tomistomine crocodylians and their dispersal from Europe to Asia". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 19 (22): 1551–1585. doi: 10.1080/14772019.2022.2054372 . S2CID   248909844.
  6. Iijima, M.; Kubo, T. (2020). "Vertebrae-Based Body Length Estimation in Crocodylians and Its Implication for Sexual Maturity and the Maximum Sizes". Integrative Organismal Biology. 2 (1). obaa042. doi:10.1093/iob/obaa042. PMC   7891683 .