Anatomy and relationships of the early diverging Crocodylomorphs Junggarsuchus sloani and Dibothrosuchus elaphros.

ABSTRACT: The holotype of Junggarsuchus sloani, from the Shishugou Formation (early Late Jurassic) of Xinjiang, China, consists of a nearly complete skull and the anterior half of an articulated skeleton, including the pectoral girdles, nearly complete forelimbs, vertebral column, and ribs. Here, we describe its anatomy and compare it to other early diverging crocodylomorphs, based in part on CT scans of its skull and that of Dibothrosuchus elaphros from the Early Jurassic of China. Junggarsuchus shares many features with a cursorial assemblage of crocodylomorphs, informally known as "sphenosuchians," whose relationships are poorly understood. However, it also displays several derived crocodyliform features that are not found among most "sphenosuchians." Our phylogenetic analysis corroborates the hy

SUBMITTER: Ruebenstahl AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9541040 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature