Proterosuchidae

Chasmatosuchus

• Asia (Russia, India, China)
• South Africa
• Australia
• South America?

The Proterosuchidae are a group of crocodile -like reptiles that lived from the Late Permian to Early Triassic. The Proterosuchidae were formerly reckoned as the most primitive members of the archosaurs, the namesake of this taxon, Archosaurus, is a Proterosuchide. Today, they are asked for their many primitive features in the Archosauriformes.

Characteristic of the animals is the mandible superior and overhanging Prämaxillarknochen at the tip of the upper jaw. Before the eye is a good additional cranial window Antorbitalfenster bounded by the maxilla, lacrimal and Jugale and probably served to reduce the weight. The Antorbitalfenster is a characteristic of all later archosaurs, including dinosaurs. Otherwise, the skull is characterized by primitive features, some skull bones of primitive Diapsiden are still present and the wing bone ( pterygoid ) is still dentate.

The elongated body of Proterosuchidae was crocodile -like and her legs kept the animals splayed laterally, without a tendency to an improved position under the body. The eddy had long transverse processes. In the shoulder girdle scapula and coracoid bone were clearly separated. The hand bones were hardly ossified, the number of phalanges is unknown. The foot is very similar to that of primitive Archosauromorpha as the Protorosauria, the Rhynchosauria or Trilophosaurus.

Genera

• Family Proterosuchidae Archosaurus
• Chasmatosaurus
• Chasmatosuchus
• Kalisuchus
• Proterosuchus
• Tasmaniosaurus
• Xilosuchus