The discovery of a new reptile and ancient predator called Parvosuchus aurelioi, from an organization of crocodile-like reptiles called pseudosuchians, in Brazil is described in a paper in Scientific Reports. The specimen, which dates to about 237 million years ago in the Middle and Late Triassic, is the first small predatory reptile of its species discovered in this country.
Before the dominance of dinosaurs, pseudosuchians were a common form of ancient quadrupedal reptiles from the Triassic era (252 to 201 million years ago), and some species were among the largest carnivores of the time. The smallest pseudosuchians, known as gracilisuchids, lived alongside these apex predators and have been discovered in spaces such as China and Argentina.
Today, Rodrigo Müller reports on the discovery of a new species of gracilisuchid in a specimen discovered in the Santa Maria Formation in Brazil.
The partial skeleton dates to about 237 million years ago and is composed of a complete skull adding the lower jaw, 11 dorsal vertebrae, a pelvis and partially preserved limbs. The name of the new species is Parvosuchus aurelioi, which derives from “parvus” (small). and “suchus” (crocodile) and will pay tribute to the amateur paleontologist Pedro Lucas Porcela Aurélio, who discovered the fossil materials.
The skull is 14. 4 centimeters long and has long jaws with sharp, backward-curved teeth and several cranial openings.
The skeleton is of a smooth structure and its total length is estimated at less than one meter. These characteristics classify P. aurelioi as gracilisuchid, which makes it the first species of this organization exhibited in Brazil, according to the author. This discovery is very gentil. la diversity among Triassic pseudosuchians, he adds.
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