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| Carinthiasuchus kandutschi Vecchia & Cau, 2026 |
Abstract
A partial skeleton of a small reptile with a distinctive maxilla, dentition, caudal vertebrae and osteoderms from the marine Partnach Formation (Ladinian-earliest Carnian) near Jadersdorf (Gitschtal, Hermagor) in the Gailtal Alps of Carinthia (Austria), represents a new archosaur taxon Carinthiasuchus kandutschi gen. n. sp. n.. It is diagnosed by autapomorphies in the anterior process and subnarial foramen of the maxilla, accessory articular processes in the neural arches of mid-distal caudal vertebrae, and shape and arrangement of the caudal osteoderms. It also shows a unique combination of features regarding the extent of the antorbital fossa in the maxilla and the morphology of its ventral edge, dentary shape, dentition, caudal vertebrae elongation and morphology. A segment of 16 mid-distal caudal vertebrae is one of the better articulated tail segments ever found in Triassic archosaurs, showing the arrangement of the dorsal osteoderms and the presence of accessory processes in the neural arches stiffening the posterior termination of the tail. Phylogenetic analysis recovered Carinthiasuchus kandutschi as a pseudosuchian in a basal position within the Poposauroidea. Absence of swimming adaptation in the tail and the presence of terrestrial plant remains in the same outcrop suggest terrestrial habits for this archosaur reptile.
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| Carinthiasuchus kandutschi, gen. n. sp. n., Nockalm7030u, holotype. Scale bar equals 100 mm. |
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| Carinthiasuchus kandutschi, gen. n. sp. n., Nockalm7030u, ho-lotype, skull and mandible. (A) Photograph, (B) drawing (bone is gray and teeth darker gray). Abbreviations: d, den-tary; f, frontal; j, jugal; la, lacrimal; mx, maxilla; n, nasal; pt, pterygoid; q, quadrate; snf, subnarial foramen; sq, squamo-sal; th, tooth; v, vomer; *, left element. Legenda: 1 = actual margin of the bone; 2 = broken margin of the bone; 3 = margin of the impression of the bone; 4 = probable margin of the skeletal element; 5 = broken surface of the skeletal element. Scale bar is 10 mm. |
Reptilia Laurenti, 1768 sensu Modesto & Anderson, 2004
Diapsida Osborn, 1903
Archosauromorpha von Huene, 1946 sensu Dilkes, 1998
Archosauriformes Gauthier, Kluge & Rowe,1988
Archosauria Cope, 1869
Pseudosuchia Zittel, 1887-1890
Suchia Krebs, 1974 (sensu Nesbitt, 2011)
Paracrocodylomorpha Parrish, 1993
Poposauroidea Nopcsa, 1923
Carinthiasuchus kandutschi gen. n. sp. n.
Holotype: Nockalm7030u, part of the skull including the right maxilla with two teeth, part of the two mandibular rami, and parts of the mid-distal portion of the tail with osteoderms (Fig. 3).
Locality and stratigraphic horizon: Southern flank of Mt. Großboden NE of Jadersdorf in the Gitschtal close to Hermagor, Carinthia, SE Austria. Partnach-Schichten/Fellbach Kalk, Ladinian-lo-wermost Carnian.
Diagnosis. Carinthiasuchus kandutschi gen. n. sp. n. is an archosaur (see discussion) with the following apomorphies: short, straight and pointed anterior process of the maxilla with a dorsal articular facet and bordering dorsally a comparatively large subnarial foramen; accessory articular processes of the neural arches in the last middle and in the distal caudal vertebrae; paired and symmetrical paramedian osteoderms above the proximal mid-caudal vertebrae, drop-shaped, with coarse denticles along the margins posteriorly, with longitudinal median ridge dorsally but without sculpturing; single median row of elongated and lying 8-shaped osteoderms in the following mid-distal caudals with three osteoderms per vertebra, one above the middle of the vertebra and half on the anterior and ...
Etymology: The genus is named after Carinthia, the Latin name of Kärnten, the southernmost federate state of Austria where the specimen was discovered and the Greek term soúkhos (σούχος) for crocodile. The species name is inhonourof the discoverer of the holotype, Georg Kandutsch (Arriach/Hinterwinkl, Austria).
FABIO MARCO DALLA VECCHIA and ANDREA CAU. 2026. Carinthiasuchus kandutschi, A NEW ARCHOSAUR (REPTILIA: DIAPSIDA) from the Triassic of AUSTRIA. RIVISTA ITALIANA DI PALEONTOLOGIA E STRATIGRAFIA. 132(2); DOI: doi.org/10.54103/2039-4942/29890 [08-06-2026]