The palate and choanae structure of the cf. Susisuchus (Crocodyliformes, Eusuchia): phylogenetic implications
- Published
- Accepted
- Subject Areas
- Paleontology
- Keywords
- Crocodyliformes, Eusuchia, Lower Cretaceous, Araripe Basin
- Copyright
- © 2018 Leite et al.
- Licence
- This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ Preprints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
- Cite this article
- 2018. The palate and choanae structure of the cf. Susisuchus (Crocodyliformes, Eusuchia): phylogenetic implications. PeerJ Preprints 6:e26956v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.26956v1
Abstract
Crocodyliformes have undergone few modifications in their morphology since they have emerged. The change in the position of the choana was important during the evolutionary history of this group. Such character is relevant in the phylogenetic position of many crocodyliforms. The Susisuchidae clade has been placed in different phylogenetic positions: as a sister group of Eusuchia, advanced Neosuchia and in Eusuchia. In Isisfordia there are reports that the choana of this taxon is or not fully enclosed by pterygoid. A new skull of cf. Susisuchus from the Crato Formation of the Santana Group (Lower Cretaceous) is described and we recover Susisuchidae in a new phylogenetic position within Eusuchia. The preservation in the ventral view of FPH-243-V allows character encoding not yet observed for the species. The new specimen shows a typical eusuchian palate for Susisuchus, in which the choana is fully enclosed by the pterygoid. The encoding of the ventral characters of Susisuchus places Susisuchidae in Eusuchia. However, this position must be further studied, since the matrices showed fragility in the reconstitution of the Neosuchia-Eusuchia transition.
Author Comment
This is a submission to PeerJ for review.