| Sulcusuchus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Life restoration | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | † Sauropterygia |
| Order: | † Plesiosauria |
| Family: | † Polycotylidae |
| Genus: | † Sulcusuchus Gasparini & Spalletti 1990 |
| Species: | †S. erraini |
| Binomial name | |
| †Sulcusuchus erraini Gasparini & Spalletti 1990 | |
Sulcusuchus is a genus of polycotylid plesiosaur from the Late Campanian of Argentina.
The type species Sulcusuchus erraini was named in 1990 by Zulma Brandoni de Gasparini and Luis Spalletti. It was at first considered to have been a dyrosaurid crocodile, hence its generic name: "trough crocodile". Its holotype, MPEF 650, was at Jacobacci, Río Negro Province, uncovered in a layer of the late Campanian La Colonia Formation. It consists of a posterior left mandible fragment of about half a meter long with an associated jaw joint condyle of the skull, lower braincase, rear palate and middle snout fragment. The outer side of the mandible shows the trough, which would be exceptional for a crocodile. [1] The mandibula and pterygoids show grooves that may have housed electro-sensitive organs. [2] The snout is very elongated and the pterygoids are fused.
Carnotaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period, probably sometime between 71 and 69 million years ago. The only species is Carnotaurus sastrei. Known from a single well-preserved skeleton, it is one of the best-understood theropods from the Southern Hemisphere. The skeleton, found in 1984, was uncovered in the Chubut Province of Argentina from rocks of the La Colonia Formation. Carnotaurus is a derived member of the Abelisauridae, a group of large theropods that occupied the large predatorial niche in the southern landmasses of Gondwana during the late Cretaceous. Within the Abelisauridae, the genus is often considered a member of the Brachyrostra, a clade of short-snouted forms restricted to South America.
Abelisaurus is a genus of predatory abelisaurid theropod dinosaur alive during the Late Cretaceous Period (Campanian) of what is now South America. It was a bipedal carnivore that probably reached about 7.4 metres in length, although this is uncertain as it is known from only one partial skull.
Geosaurus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae, that lived during the Late Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous. Geosaurus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea. No Geosaurus eggs or nests have been discovered, so little is known of the reptile's lifecycle, unlike other large marine reptiles of the Mesozoic, such as plesiosaurs or ichthyosaurs which are known to give birth to live young out at sea. Where Geosaurus mated, whether on land or at sea, is currently unknown. The name Geosaurus means "Mother of Giants lizard", and is derived from the Greek Ge- and σαῦρος -sauros ("lizard"). The name Geosaurus was established by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1824.
Notosuchus is an extinct genus of South American notosuchian crocodylomorph. It was terrestrial, living approximately 85 million years ago in the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous.
Plesiopleurodon is an extinct genus of Mesozoic marine reptiles, belonging to Sauropterygia, known from the Late Cretaceous of North America. It was named by Kenneth Carpenter based on a complete skull with a mandible, cervical vertebra, and a coracoid. In naming the specimen, Carpenter noted "Of all known pliosaurs, Plesiopleurodon wellesi most closely resembles Liopleurodon ferox from the Oxfordian of Europe, hence the generic reference." It was initially described as a pliosaur due to it short neck, a common trait of the family, although it is in the order Plesiosauria. However, later exploration into the relationships of both orders indicate that not all pliosaurs have short necks and not all plesiosaurs have long necks.
Mauisaurus is a dubious genus of plesiosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now New Zealand. Numerous specimens have been attributed to this genus in the past, but a 2017 paper restricts Mauisaurus to the lectotype and declares it a nomen dubium.
Puntanipterus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period La Cruz Formation of San Luis, Argentina.
Tuarangisaurus is an extinct genus of elasmosaurid known from New Zealand. The type and only known species is Tuarangisaurus keyesi, named by Wiffen and Moisley in 1986.
Aristonectes is an extinct genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous Paso del Sapo Formation of what is now Argentina, the Quiriquina Formation of Chile and the Lopez de Bertodano Formation of Antarctica. The type species is Aristonectes parvidens, first named by Cabrera in 1941.
The La Colonia Formation is a geological formation in Argentina whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
Ilchunaia is an extinct genus of sebecid mesoeucrocodylian. Fossils have been found from the Divisadero Largo Formation of Argentina dating back to the Late Eocene, and a locality in Mendoza, Argentina dating back to the Oligocene. Little material is known from the genus, with only the anterior portion of the skull being present to study.
Lomasuchus is an extinct genus of peirosaurid notosuchian known from the Late Cretaceous of Neuquén Province, western central Argentina. It contains a single species, Lomasuchus palpebrosus.
The Coli Toro Member is a Campanian geologic member in Argentina. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus. The sandstones of the formation were deposited in a lacustrine environment.
Sebecus is an extinct genus of sebecid crocodylomorph from Eocene of South America. Like other sebecosuchians, it was entirely terrestrial and carnivorous. The genus is currently represented by two species, the type S. icaeorhinus and S. ayrampu. Several other species have been referred to Sebecus, but were later reclassified as their own genera.
The Cerro Fortaleza Formation, in older literature described as Pari Aike Formation, is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation of Campanian to Maastrichtian age of the Austral Basin in southern Patagonia, Argentina.
Patagoniaemys is an extinct genus of stem turtle which existed in central Patagonia, Chubut Province, Argentina during the late Cretaceous epoch. It is known from skull fragments and several postcranial elements including a nearly complete vertebral column recovered from the La Colonia Formation. It was first named by Juliana Sterli and Marcelo S. de la Fuente in 2011, and the type species is Patagoniaemys gasparinae.
Gasparinisuchus is an extinct genus of peirosaurid notosuchian known from the Late Cretaceous of Neuquén and Mendoza Provinces, western central Argentina. It contains a single species, Gasparinisuchus peirosauroides.
Bayomesasuchus is an extinct genus of peirosaurid mesoeucrocodylian known from the early Late Cretaceous Cerro Lisandro Formation of Neuquén Province, western central Argentina. It contains a single species, Bayomesasuchus hernandezi. Even though it is known from relatively fragmentary remains, it represents one of the most basal peirosaurids.
Kawanectes is a genus of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, a type of long-necked marine reptile, that lived in the marginal marine (estuarine) environment of Late Cretaceous Patagonia. It contains one species, K. lafquenianum, described in 2016 by O'Gorman.
Brachiosuchus is an extinct genus of dyrosaurid crocodyliform known from the Late Cretaceous Kababish Formation of Sudan. It contains a single species, Brachiosuchus kababishensis.
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