Trematochampsa: Research Database
Crocodyliformes (Reptilia) · Late Cretaceous (~70 MYA) · Gondwana — Madagascar, South America
Research Note: Trematochampsa was a mesoeucrocodylian from the Late Cretaceous of Gondwana — an important taxon for understanding crocodyliform diversity and evolution in the Cretaceous of the southern continents.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Larsson & Gado 2000: A new species of Trematochampsa from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar
Larsson & Gado 2000 describe a new species of Trematochampsa from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar, providing new data on its anatomy and systematics within Mesoeucrocodylia
|
Confirmed | A | 2000 | Fossil | Larsson & Gado, Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie | Taxonomy |
|
Löser 2006: New data on the taxonomy of Trematochampsa
Löser 2006 provides additional taxonomic data on Trematochampsa and related mesoeucrocodylians, further clarifying its systematic position
|
Confirmed | B | 2006 | Fossil | Löser, Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie | Taxonomy |
Active Debate: Phylogenetic Position of Trematochampsa
The phylogenetic position of Trematochampsa within Mesoeucrocodylia is debated. Its relationships to modern crocodiles and other mesoeucrocodylians remain uncertain, with different studies placing it in different parts of the tree.
What We Still Do Not Know About Trematochampsa
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Diet: Carnivore/scavenger.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
- Growth patterns: Unknown.
In Depth
Trematochampsa is a genus of crocodile that lived in what is now Niger during the Late Cretaceous. A second species named in 1979 as T. oblita has now been reassigned to its own genus, Miadanasuchus. Trematochampsa is now considered to be more of a nomen dubium since these fossils are actually made up of a mixture of individuals, with no clear distinguishing features for the holotype.
Further Reading
- Trematochampsa taqueti, un Crocodilien nouveau du S�nonian inf�rieur du Niger. - Comptes Rendus de l’Academie des Sciences (Paris) 279: 1749–1752. - E. Buffetaut - 1974. ] - Un nouveau Crocodilien m�sosuchien dans le Campanien de Madagascar, Trematochampsa oblita, n.sp. - Bulletin de la Soci�t� G�ologique de France 2: 183–188. - E. Buffetaut & P. Taquet - 1979. - New Material of “Trematochampsa” Oblita (Crocodyliformes,Trematochampsidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29 (2): 599–604. - Erin L. Rasmusson Simons & Gregory A. Buckley - 2009. – Trematochampsa taqueti as a nomen dubium and the crocodyliform diversity of the Upper Cretaceous In Beceten Formation of Niger. – Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. in press (3): 659–680. – L. M. V. Meunier & H. C. E. Larsson – 2018.
