Loricata
| Loricata Temporal range: Olenekian - Recent, 247–0 Ma |
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| Skeleton of Prestosuchus chiniquensis, an early loricatan. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Paracrocodylomorpha |
| Clade: |
Loricata Merrem, 1820 |
| Subtaxa | |
Loricata is a group of reptiles that includes crocodylians and their ancestors. It was named by German naturalist Blasius Merrem in his 1820 Versuch eines Systems der Amphibien. Merrem considered it to be one of three groups of Pholidota (reptiles), the other two being Testudinata (turtles) and Squamata (lizards and snakes). Loricata was an early name for an order that includes crocodiles, alligators, and gharials, although the order is now referred to as Crocodylia.
The name Loricata gained a new phylogenetic definition in 2011. In his study of early archosaur phylogeny, paleontologist Sterling J. Nesbitt defined it as the most inclusive clade containing Crocodylus niloticus (the Nile crocodile), but not the extinct Poposaurus gracilis, Ornithosuchus longidens, or Aetosaurus ferox. Nesbitt considered the following features to be synapomorphies (distinguishing features) of Loricata:
Nesbitt's phylogenetic analysis placed Crocodylomorpha and several rauisuchians within Loricata. Rauisuchidae was found to be the sister taxon of Crocodylomorpha, while prestosuchids formed a series of more basa loricatans. Loricata is the sister taxon of Poposauroidea, a group of Triassic rauisuchians. Below is a cladogram of Loricata from Nesbitt (2011):
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