Gracilisuchus

Gras-sil-e-soo-kus.
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Emily Green

Paleobotanist

Emily Green brings the ancient world of plants to life through her insightful research and engaging writing. Her expertise lies in examining how prehistoric vegetation influenced climate patterns and animal evolution.

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Name

Gracilisuchus ‭(‬Graceful crocodile‭)‬.

Phonetic

Gras-sil-e-soo-kus.

Named By

Alfred S.‭ ‬Romer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1972.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Archosauria,‭ ‬Pseudosuchia,‭ ‬Suchia,‭ ‬Gracilisuchidae.

Diet

Carnivore/Insectivore‭?

Species

G.‭ ‬stipanicicorum‭

Size

Skull‭ ‬9‭ ‬centimetres long,‭ ‬partial remains of the post cranial skeleton combined with skull yield a length of up‭ ‬28‭ ‬centimetres for the preserved elements of the holotype.‭ ‬Full length roughly estimated at about‭ ‬60+‭ ‬centimetres.

Known locations

Argentina‭ ‬-‭ ‬Cha�ares Formation.

Time Period

Anisian to Ladinian of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

Holotype based upon a skull‭ ‬and partially preserved anterior portion of the skeleton.‭ ‬Note‭*‬-‭ ‬many fossils once attributed to Gracilisuchus have been moved to other genera.

In Depth

       Gracilisuchus is a very‭ ‬Ancient,‭ ‬and very small relative of the crocodiles that we know today.‭ ‬Gracilisuchus however seems to have been mostly terrestrial walking‭ ‬about on four legs,‭ ‬but also having the ability to rear up and walk on just the two rear legs.‭ ‬The small size and gracile‭ (‬hence the name‭) ‬build of Gracilisuchus meant that it would have been limited to hunting only small vertebrates,‭ ‬and possibly larger invertebrates.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬The Cha�ares‭ (‬Argentina‭) ‬Triassic reptile fauna.‭ ‬An early ornithosuchid pseudosuchian,‭ ‬Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum,‭ ‬gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Breviora‭ ‬389:1-24.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Alfred S.‭ ‬Romer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1972. -‭ ‬Hind limb osteology of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum‭ (‬Archosauria:‭ ‬Pseudosuchia‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh‭ ‬102‭ (‬2‭)‬:‭ ‬105‭–‬128‭ ‬-‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Lecuona‭ & ‬J.‭ ‬B.‭ ‬Desojo‭ ‬-‭ ‬1972. – Hind limb osteology of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia)”. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 102 (2): 105–128. – A. Lecuona & J. B. Desojo – 2012. – New information on the postcranial skeleton of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum (Archosauria: Suchia) and reappraisal of its phylogenetic position. – Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 181 (3): 638–677. – A. Lecuona, J. B. Desojo & D. Pol – 2017.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT