In Depth
Archeopelta was a quadrupedal low slung reptile with a build similar to that of a crocodile. Archeopelta also would have had armoured scutes protecting its body in a similar manner to a crocodile. A predator of smaller animals, the armour may have protected them from rauisuchians and the early ancestors of the dinosaurs.
Further Reading
- An unusual new archosauriform from the Middle–Late Triassic of southern Brazil and the monophyly of Doswelliidae, J. B. Desojo, M. D. Ezcurra & C. L. Schultz - 2011. – Doswelliidae: a clade of unusual armoured archosauriforms from the Middle and Late Triassic. – Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 379 (1): 49–58. – Hans-Dieter Sues, Julia B. Desojo & Martin D. Ezcurra – 2013 – Deep faunistic turnovers preceded the rise of dinosaurs in southwestern Pangaea. – Nature Ecology & Evolution. 1 (10): 1477–1483. – Mart�n D. Ezcurra, Lucas E. Fiorelli, Agust�n G. Martinelli, Sebasti�n Rocher, M. Bel�n von Baczko, Miguel Ezpeleta, Jerem�as R. A. Taborda, E. Mart�n Hechenleitner, M. Jimena Trotteyn & Julia B. Desojo – 2017.
