Desmatosuchus
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Desmatosuchus Temporal range: Late Triassic, 228–210 Ma |
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| Desmatosuchus from Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Aetosauria |
| Family: | †Stagonolepididae |
| Subfamily: | †Desmatosuchinae |
| Genus: |
†Desmatosuchus Case, 1920 |
| Type species | |
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†Desmatosuchus spurensis Case, 1921 |
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Desmatosuchus (/dɛzmætoʊsuːkəs/, from Greek δεσμός desmos 'link' + σοῦχος soûkhos 'crocodile') is an extinct genus of archosaur belonging to the Order Aetosauria. It lived during the Late Triassic.
The living animals were large quadrupeds that were upwards of 4.5 meters in length. Their spines had amphicoelus centra and 3 sacral vertebrae. Their scapulae had large acromion processes. Their forelimbs were much shorter than their hindlimbs, with humeri less than two-thirds the length of their femurs. Their pelvic girdles consisted of a long pubis with a strong symphysis in the middle, a plate-like ischium, a highly recurved ilium, and a deep, imperforate acetabulum. They had relatively long, straight femurs, crurotarsal ankles, and calcaneal tubers that gave them large heels.
Their skulls were relatively small relative to their bodies, on average about 37 centimeters long, 18 centimeters wide, and 15 centimeters high. Their braincases were very firmly fused with the skull roof and palate. They had slender,forked premaxillae that turned up and expanded in the front, creating a shovel-like structure.Desmatosuchus is unique among aetosaurs in that its species are the only known aetosaurs that lacked teeth on their premaxillae. Their premaxillae fit loosely together with their maxillae, indicating flexibility at that joint. Their maxilla contained 10 to 12 teeth.Desmatosuchus also had very thin vomers, which bounded the medial side of the internal nares. These internal nares were relatively large, roughly half the length of the entire palate. Their lower jaw typically carried 5 or 6 teeth, and had a toothless beak on the end. The dentary was about half the length of the lower jaw, with the front portion being toothless and covered by a horny sheath. Behind the dentary was a moderately large mandibular fenestra.
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