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| Epoidesuchus tavaresae Ruiz, Queiroz, Martins, Godoy, Iori, Langer, Montefeltro & Bronzati, 2024 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25559 Artwork by Guilherme Gehr |
Abstract
Peirosauridae (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) is one of the fossil lineages of crocodyliforms ubiquitous in the Cretaceous deposits of the Bauru Basin. Here, we describe a new species of a longirostrine Peirosauridae from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Basin, Late Cretaceous). The specimen consists of a partially preserved skull with a cranial roof, interorbital region, and fragments of the posterior portion of the rostrum, including the prefrontal and lacrimal; left hemimandible, with 14 alveoli and 12 teeth; and a single cervical rib fragment. The specimen is associated with Peirosauridae by three cranial synapomorphies, and it can be assigned to a new genus and species by presenting seven cranial and one tooth apomorphies. To clarify the position of the new taxon, an updated phylogenetic analysis was performed with increased sampling of taxa of Notosuchia, especially Peirosauridae, and phylogenetically relevant characters. Our results indicated the monophyly of Peirosauridae, formed by two main lineages, the oreinirostral and presumably terrestrial Peirosaurinae and the longirostrine and presumably semi-aquatic Pepesuchinae. The recovering of both lineages as distinct entities was also reinforced through a morphospace analysis. Pepesuchinae were notable by exploring a position of the morphospace not explored by any other Notosuchia. Their longer rostra and the assumption of them being gradually specialized to aquatic habits reflects the unique diversity of these crocodyliforms through the Cretaceous deposits of South America and Africa.
Keywords: Bauru Basin, freshwater Tetrapoda, Mesoeucrocodylia, Pepesuchinae, South America
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| Epoidesuchus tavaresae, from the Adamantina Formation (Late Cretaceous), a new pepesuchine peirosaurid, which was long-snouted and semiaquiatic. paleoart by Guilherme Gehr |
Juan V. Ruiz, Marcos V. L. Queiroz, Kawan C. Martins, Pedro L. Godoy, Fabiano V. Iori, Max C. Langer, Felipe C. Montefeltro and Mario Bronzati. 2024. A new Peirosauridae (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous), with a revised phylogenetic analysis of Sebecia. The Anatomical Record. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ar.25559
Graphical Abstract: This study presents a new species of Peirosauridae, Epoidesuchus tavaresae, from the Adamantina Formation, Cretaceous of Brazil. In the most complete phylogenetic analysis of this lineage conducted to date, Peirosauridae was recovered encompassing two main lineages, Peirosaurinae (usually orenirostrine forms) and Pepesuchinae (usually longirostrine forms).
