Mariliasuchus
Name:
Mariliasuchus
(Marilia crocodile).
Phonetic: Mah-eil-e-ah-soo-kus.
Named By: Carvalho & Bertini - 1999.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Crocodylomorpha, Notosuchia, Notosuchidae.
Species: M. amarali
(type), M. robustus.
Diet: Uncertain.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Brazil - Adamantina Formation.
Time period: Turonian to Santonian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Many individuals.
Mariliasuchus
appears to have been an almost entirely terrestrial (living on land)
crocodylomorph. The eyes of Mariliasuchus are
located more to the
sides rather than on top of the head, and the nostrils faced forwards
rather than upwards. In aquatic crocodylomorphs both the nostrils
and eyes almost always face upwards. Despite this though, the skull
of Mariliasuchus still bears a mix of features that
are seen in both
other terrestrial but also some aquatic crocodylomorphs.
Like
in modern crocodiles, the skulls of Mariliasuchus
changed as they
grew. As an individual Mariliasuchus grew older,
the skull would
get proportionately shorter, a process that also caused the head to
become more robust. The muscles of the head were also quite powerful
which infers a need for dealing with tough food. Two large canine
teeth projected down from the anterior of the upper jaw, while the
teeth behind them were low and more robust. Again this may indicate
that Mariliasuchus ate tougher food, but it is
still uncertain what
because notosuchian crocodylomorphs are known to have a very wide
variance diets, with some even being vegetarian.
In
the past Mariliasuchus has been considered to have
been similar to
Comahuesuchus and Adamantinasuchus.
Further reading
- Re-description of the cranial morphology of Mariliasuchus
amarali,
and its phylogenetic affinities (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) -
H. Zaher, D. Pol, A. B. Carvalho, C. Riccomini, D.
Campos & W. Nava - 2006.
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