Barreirosuchus

Bar-re-i-ro-soo-kus.
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Emily Green

Paleobotanist

Emily Green brings the ancient world of plants to life through her insightful research and engaging writing. Her expertise lies in examining how prehistoric vegetation influenced climate patterns and animal evolution.

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Name

Barreirosuchus ‭(‬Barreiro crocodile‭)‬.

Phonetic

Bar-re-i-ro-soo-kus.

Named By

Fabiano Vidoi Iori‭ & ‬Karina Lucia Garcia‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha,‭ ‬Notosuchia,‭ ‬Trematochampsidae.

Diet

Carnivore/Pisicvore‭?

Species

B.‭ ‬franciscoi‭

Size

Body estimated about‭ ‬4‭ ‬meters long,‭ ‬complete skull estimated about‭ ‬50‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Brazil‭ ‬-‭ ‬Adamantina Formation.

Time Period

Turonian/Santonian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Posterior‭ (‬rear‭) ‬portion of the skull,‭ ‬six teeth,‭ ‬two dorsal‭ (‬back‭) ‬vertebrae and two sacral‭ (‬hip‭) ‬vertebrae.

In Depth

       Although only described from very incomplete remains,‭ ‬a number of things can be inferred about Barreirosuchus.‭ ‬Comparison‭ ‬to other notosuchian genera indicates that in life Barreirosuchus may have been up to four meters long.‭ ‬The discovery of a nearby turtle rib is also taken as an indication that Barreirosuchus was at least semi-aquatic.‭ ‬This is further supported by the observation that the eyes would have been very high up on the skull,‭ ‬something which means that when in the water,‭ ‬Barreirosuchus could have lurked just below the surface with only the eyes visible above it.

       Barreirosuchus has been considered‭ ‬to be very similar to the genera Caririsuchus and Itasuchus.‭ ‬Other notosuchians known from the Adamantina Formation that Barreirosuchus may have come into contact with include Mariliasuchus,‭ ‬Armadillosuchus,‭ ‬Morrinhosuchus and Adamantinasuchus.

Further Reading

Barreirosuchus franciscoi,‭ ‬um novo Crocodylomorpha Trematochampsidae da Bacia Bauru,‭ ‬Brasil‭ ‬-‭ ‬Fabiano Vidoi Iori‭ & ‬Karina Lucia Garcia‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.

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