Tropidosuchus
Encyclopedia
Tropidosuchus is an extinct genus
of carnivorous archosauriform from the Middle Triassic
period (Anisian
to Ladinian
stage). It is a proterochampsid
which lived in what is now Argentina
. It is known from the holotype
PVL 4601, which consists of partial skeleton
. It was found in the Chañares Formation
and its type locality is Rio Chanares. It was first named by A. B. Arcucci in 1990
and the type species
is Tropidosuchus romeri.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of carnivorous archosauriform from the Middle Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period (Anisian
Anisian
In the geologic timescale, the Anisian is the lower stage or earliest age of the Middle Triassic series or epoch and lasted from 245 million years ago until 237 million years ago, approximately...
to Ladinian
Ladinian
The Ladinian is a stage and age in the Middle Triassic series or epoch. It spans the time between 237 ± 2 Ma and 228 ± 2 Ma...
stage). It is a proterochampsid
Proterochampsidae
Proterochampsidae is a family of archosauriforms. Proterochampsids may have filled an ecological niche similar to modern crocodiles, and had a general crocodile-like appearance. They lived in what is now South America in the Middle and Late Triassic....
which lived in what is now Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PVL 4601, which consists of partial skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
. It was found in the Chañares Formation
Chañares Formation
The Chañares Formation in La Rioja Provence, Argentina, dates to the Anisian stage of the early Middle Triassic.Some localities are well known for their abundance of tetrapods. Theraspids include the kannemeyeriid Dinodontosaurus, and cynodonts such as Probainognathus and Massetognathus, the latter...
and its type locality is Rio Chanares. It was first named by A. B. Arcucci in 1990
1990 in paleontology
-newly named:-Newly named taxa:-Dinosaurs:* All Anatosaurus species except A. copei were moved to the previously existing genus Edmontosaurus by Brett-Surman* "Seismosaurus" gastroliths documented.-Newly named dinosaurs:...
and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Tropidosuchus romeri.