Baurusuchidae Temporal range: 90–66 Ma Turonian - Maastrichtian |
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Skull of Baurusuchus salgadoensis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Branch: | †Sebecosuchia |
Branch: |
†Baurusuchia Warren, 1968 |
Family: |
†Baurusuchidae Price, 1945 |
Subgroups | |
Baurusuchidae is a Gondwanan family of mesoeucrocodylians that lived during the Late Cretaceous. It is a group of terrestrial hypercarnivorous crocodilians from South America (Argentina and Brazil) and possibly Pakistan. Baurusuchidae has been defined as a clade containing the most recent common ancestor of Baurusuchus and Stratiotosuchus and all of its descendants. It may, however, be polyphyletic, as recent phylogenetic analyses have placed Baurusuchus within Notosuchia and other baurusuchids within the more distantly related clade Sebecia. A recent study of the family finds it monophyletic by including the South American genera Baurusuchus, Cynodontosuchus, Pissarrachampsa, Stratiotosuchus, and Wargosuchus. Other traditional baurusuchids like Pabwehshi are excluded. The recently named Campinasuchus is also included in the family. Baurusuchids have been placed in the suborder Baurusuchia, and two subfamilies have been proposed: Baurusuchinae and Pissarrachampsinae.