1991/06/20 by J. Michael Parrish · 52 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Holotype #Paleontology #Genus #Geology #Archaeology #National park #Biology #Geography #Zoology
paper · doi:10.1080/02724634.1991.10011387
published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 11(2), 198-212 (Taylor & Francis)
openalex publication_date 1991/06/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
An associated skeleton of a crocodylomorph from the Painted Desert of Petrified Forest National Park is the second relatively complete specimen of a crocodylomorph described from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation. The specimen lacks cranial and hind-limb elements commonly used for classification of crocodylomorphs, so character states of other features, notably armor, pelvic, tooth, and dentary morphology, are evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis of the Triassic/Jurassic non-crocodyliform crocodylomorphs (“sphenosuchians”) indicates that the new specimen is most similar to the Early Jurassic genus Sphenosuchus. Some of the features that ally the new specimen with Sphenosuchus may be artifacts of scaling, as the new specimen and the holotype of S. acutus are the two largest specimens of members of this group.