Erpetosuchus

Er-pe-to-soo-kus.
Published on

Maeve Foster

Paleoclimatologist

Maeve Foster explores the Earth's climatic past to understand the forces that shaped life on our planet. Her research into ancient climate events provides valuable context for current environmental challenges.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Erpetosuchus.

Phonetic

Er-pe-to-soo-kus.

Named By

‭ ‬E.‭ ‬T.‭ ‬Newton‭ ‬-‭ ‬1894.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Pseudosuchia,‭ ‬Erpetosuchidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

E.‭ ‬granti‭

Size

Skull about‭ ‬6.5‭ ‬centimetres long,‭ ‬total body length roughly about‭ ‬55‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Scotland‭ ‬-‭ ‬Lossiemouth Sandstone Formation.‭ ‬USA,‭ ‬Connecticut‭ ‬-‭ ‬New Haven Formation.

Time Period

Carnian/Norian of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

Two individuals

In Depth

       Erpetosuchus is a genus of small pseudosuchian that‭ ‬lived during the Triassic and‭ ‬is known to have had a distribution reaching‭ ‬across‭ ‬from‭ ‬what is now Scotland‭ ‬to the Eastern United States of America.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Reptiles from the Elgin Sandstone.‭ ‬Description of two new genera.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B‭ ‬185:573-607.‭ ‬-‭ ‬E.‭ ‬T.‭ ‬Newton‭ ‬-‭ ‬1894. -‭ ‬First record of Erpetosuchus(Reptilia:‭ ‬Archosauria‭) ‬from the Late Triassic of North America.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology‭ ‬20‭ (‬4‭)‬:‭ ‬633.‭ ‬-‭ ‬P.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Olsen,‭ ‬H.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Sues‭ & ‬M.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Norell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2000. -‭ ‬Erpetosuchus,‭ ‬a crocodile-like basal archosaur from the Late Triassic of Elgin,‭ ‬Scotland,‭ ‬Zoological Journals of Linnean Society‭ ‬136:‭ ‬25-47.‭ ‬-‭ ‬M.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Benton‭ & ‬A.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Walker‭ ‬-‭ ‬2002.

Never Miss a New Species or Fossil Discovery!

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

varanus priscus a.k.a Megalania