Opisuchus

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Opisuchus
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic, 175.6–171.6  Ma [1]
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Suborder: Thalattosuchia
Superfamily: Metriorhynchoidea
Genus: Opisuchus
Aiglstorfer et al., 2019 [2]
Type species
Opisuchus meieri
Aiglstorfer et al., 2019 [2]

Opisuchus is an extinct genus of metriorhynchoid crocodyliform known from the Middle Jurassic Opalinuston Formation of Germany. It contains a single species, O. meieri. [1] [2]

Related Research Articles

In the geological timescale, the Tithonian is the latest age of the Late Jurassic Epoch and the uppermost stage of the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 149.2 ±0.7 Ma and 145.0 ± 4 Ma. It is preceded by the Kimmeridgian and followed by the Berriasian.

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

Metriorhynchus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform that lived in the oceans during the Late Jurassic. The type species, M. brevirostris was named in 1829 as a species of Steneosaurus before being named as a separate genus by the German palaeontologist Christian von Meyer in 1832. The name Metriorhynchus means "Moderate snout", and is derived from the Greek Metrio- ("moderate") and -rhynchos ("snout").

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metriorhynchidae</span> Extinct family of reptiles

Metriorhynchidae is an extinct family of specialized, aquatic metriorhynchoid crocodyliforms from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous period of Europe, North America and South America. The name Metriorhynchidae was coined by the Austrian zoologist Leopold Fitzinger in 1843. The group contains two subfamilies, the Metriorhynchinae and the Geosaurinae. They represent the most marine adapted of all archosaurs.

<i>Teleidosaurus</i> Genus of large reptiles

Teleidosaurus is an extinct genus of carnivorous metriorhynchoid crocodyliform from Middle Jurassic deposits of Normandy, France. The name Teleidosaurus means "Complete lizard", and is derived from the Greek Teleidos- ("complete") and σαῦρος -sauros ("lizard").

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teleosauridae</span> Extinct family of reptiles

Teleosauridae is a family of extinct typically marine crocodylomorphs similar to the modern gharial that lived during the Jurassic period. Teleosaurids were thalattosuchians closely related to the fully aquatic metriorhynchoids, but were less adapted to an open-ocean, pelagic lifestyle. The family was originally coined to include all the semi-aquatic thalattosuchians and was equivalent to the modern superfamily Teleosauroidea. However, as teleosauroid relationships and diversity was better studied in the 21st century, the division of teleosauroids into two distinct evolutionary lineages led to the establishment of Teleosauridae as a more restrictive family within the group, together with its sister family Machimosauridae.

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

Suchodus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform from the Middle to Late Jurassic period of England and France. It measured between 3.3 and 4.7 m in total body length.

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

Pelagosaurus is an extinct genus of thalattosuchian crocodyliform that lived during the Toarcian stage of the Lower Jurassic, around 183 Ma to 176 Ma, in shallow epicontinental seas that covered much of what is now Western Europe. The systematic taxonomy of Pelagosaurus has been fiercely disputed over the years, and was assigned to Thalattosuchia after its systematics within Teleosauridae were disputed. Pelagosaurus measured 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) long and weighed 60 kg (130 lb).

Cricosaurus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliforms of the Late Jurassic. belonging to the family Metriorhynchidae. The genus was established by Johann Andreas Wagner in 1858 for three skulls from the Tithonian of Germany. The name Cricosaurus means "Ring lizard", and is derived from the Greek Krikos- ("ring") and σαῦρος -sauros ("lizard"). It was a relatively small reptile, with C. suevicus and C. araucanensis measuring 2 m (6.6 ft) and 3.2 m (10 ft) in total body length, respectively.

Calsoyasuchus is a genus of crocodylomorph that lived in the Early Jurassic. Its fossilized remains were found in the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian-age Kayenta Formation on Navajo Nation land in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Formally described as C. valliceps, it is known from a single incomplete skull which is unusually derived for such an early crocodile relative. This genus was described in 2002 by Ronald Tykoski and colleagues; the specific name means "valley head" and refers to a deep groove along the midline of the nasal bones and frontal bones. It has often been interpreted as the earliest diverging member of Goniopholididae, but other studies have recovered it in various other positions.

<i>Peipehsuchus</i> Genus of reptiles

Peipehsuchus is an extinct genus of metriorhynchoid crocodyliform from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian). The type species, P. teleorhinus, is known from China and fragmentary remains were found in the Callovian of Kyrgyzstan. The type specimen is known only by a fragmentary rostrum and teeth, and was originally believed to be a teleosaurid. A complete teleosaurid skull was referred to Peipehsuchus, however, the type specimen of Peipehsuchus has since been determined to be a metriorhynchoid and so the skull cannot belong to it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atoposauridae</span> Extinct family of reptiles

Atoposauridae is a family of crocodile-line archosaurs belonging to Neosuchia. The majority of the family are known from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous marine deposits in France, Portugal, and Bavaria in southern Germany. The discovery of the genus Aprosuchus, however, extends the duration of the lineage to the end of the Cretaceous in Romania.

Entradasuchus is a genus of crocodyliform, an early member of the group including crocodilians. The only known specimen was found in rocks of the Middle Jurassic Entrada Sandstone of Entrada Ranch, Grand County, Utah. Middle Jurassic terrestrial tetrapods are very rare, and Entradasuchus was the first unequivocal North American Middle Jurassic nonmarine tetrapod known from body fossils when it was described (1995).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neosuchia</span> Clade of reptiles

Neosuchia is a clade within Mesoeucrocodylia that includes all modern extant crocodilians and their closest fossil relatives. It is defined as the most inclusive clade containing all crocodylomorphs more closely related to Crocodylus niloticus than to Notosuchus terrestris. Members of Neosuchia generally share a crocodilian-like bodyform adapted to freshwater aquatic life, as opposed to the terrestrial habits of more basal crocodylomorph groups. The earliest neosuchian is suggested to be the Early Jurassic Calsoyasuchus, which lived during the Sinemurian and Pliensbachian stages in North America. It is often identified as a member of Goniopholididae, though this is disputed, and the taxon may lie outside Neosuchia, which places the earliest records of the group in the Middle Jurassic.

Eoneustes is an extinct genus of metriorhynchoid crocodyliform from Middle Jurassic deposits of France. Eoneustes was a carnivore that lived in the oceans and spent much, if not all, its life out at sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metriorhynchoidea</span> Extinct superfamily of reptiles

Metriorhynchoidea is an extinct superfamily of thalattosuchian crocodyliforms from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous of Europe, North America and South America. Metriorhynchids are fully aquatic crocodyliforms. Named by Fitzinger, in 1843, it contains the basal taxa like Teleidosaurus, Zoneait and Eoneustes and the family Metriorhynchidae. An unnamed taxon is known from Chile.

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

Macrospondylus is an extinct genus of machimosaurid teleosauroid crocodyliform from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) of Europe. Fossils are known from the Posidonia Shale of Germany, the Whitby Mudstone of the United Kingdom, and the "schistes bitumineux" of Luxembourg.

Almadasuchus is an extinct genus of crocodylomorph known from the early Middle Jurassic Puesto Almada Member of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation of Patagonia, Argentina. It contains a single species, Almadasuchus figarii. It is known from the holotype MPEF-PV 3838, a well-preserved posterior region of the skull as well as other skull and postcranial remains.

Zoneait is an extinct genus of thalattosuchian crocodylomorph known from a single species, Zoneait nargorum, from the Middle Jurassic of Oregon. Z. nargorum was named in 2015 by paleontologist Eric Wilberg on the basis of several partial skulls, vertebrae, and forelimb bones that were found in an outcrop of the Snowshoe Formation near the town of Izee. It is a member of Metriorhynchoidea, a clade of marine-adapted thalattosuchians that existed until the Early Cretaceous. The skeleton of Zoneait possesses several adaptations for offshore marine life but retains features characteristic of its land-living ancestors, indicating that it is a transitional form between the fully marine metriorhynchids of the late Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, and earlier non-marine crocodylomorphs. The Snowshoe Formation was deposited in a shallow marine environment within a tropical forearc basin, suggesting that Zoneait was a marine predator.

Magyarosuchus is an extinct monotypic genus of metriorhynchoid described for the first time from fossils discovered in the Kisgerecse Marl Formation in Hungary. The type species Magyarosuchus fitosi lived during the Toarcian, about 180 million years ago. Most of the skeleton is known, including parts of the jaw, torso, legs and tail, which was discovered in 1996. It was around 4.67–4.83 metres (15.3–15.8 ft) long when fully grown.

Turnersuchus is an extinct genus of thalattosuchian, a group of marine crocodylomorphs, from the Pliensbachian of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest diagnostic member of Thalattosuchia and was also found to be the groups basalmost member, being situated outside the two major groups Metriorhynchoidea and Teleosauroidea. Subsequently, this genus is considered to be of great importance to understanding the relationship between thalattosuchians and other crocodylomorphs as well as their rapid diversification during the early Jurassic. Turnersuchus is a monotypic genus, meaning it includes only a single species, Turnersuchus hingleyae.

References

  1. 1 2 "†Opisuchus Aiglstorfer et al. 2019". Paleobiology Database. Fossilworks. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Aiglstorfer, Manuela; Havlik, Philipe & Herrera, Yanina (2020) [2019]. "The first metriorhynchoid crocodyliform from the Aalenian (Middle Jurassic) of Germany, with implications for the evolution of Metriorhynchoidea". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 188 (2): 522–551. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz072.