Desmatosuchus

Desmatosuchus
Desmatosuchus haplocerus from the Upper Triassic in Texas
Temporal occurrence
Upper Triassic ( Carnium - Norium )
228 to 203.6 million years
Locations
North America
Systematics
Diapsida Archosauria Crurotarsi Aetosauria Stagonolepididae Desmatosuchus
Scientific name
Desmatosuchus
Case , 1920
species
Desmatosuchus haplocerus Desmatosuchus spurensis ( type ) Desmatosuchus smalli

Desmatosuchus is an extinct genus of archosaurs and belonged to the order of the aetosaurs . With a length of 5 m and a height of 1.5 m, it was one of the largest aetosaurs. Its weight is estimated at 1 t. Its remains were found in the Dockum layers of New Mexico and Texas ( USA ).

features

Desmatosuchus had small, leaf-shaped teeth that identify him as a herbivore . With its blunt, upturned, pig-like snout, it could have been digging for roots. The body was well armored by ossification of the skin. These armor plates covered its entire top and also included the tail and belly. Desmatosuchus also had thorns that protruded laterally from the back and were up to 45 cm long in the area of ​​the front shoulders. These thorny appendages presumably offered Desmatosuchus additional protection in the defense against predators, but they could also have played a role in the display behavior or in general in the dispute over territories or mating partners.

species

Two species are currently recognized: D. spurensis and D. smalli . Desmatosuchus chamaensis is regarded as a genus in its own right, but there is debate as to whether the name Heliocanthus or Rioarribasuchus should be used.

In popular culture

Desmatosuchus appeared in the Discovery Channel documentary When Dinosaurs Roamed America .

literature

• Barry Cox, Dougal Dixon, Brian Gardiner, RJG Savage Dinosaurs and other animals of the past - The great encyclopedia of the prehistoric animal world Mosaik Verlag GmbH, Munich Special edition for Gondrom Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Bindlach, 1994 ISBN 3-8112-1138-2 (P. 49 & 97)
• David Lambert, Darren Naish, Elizabeth Wyse, Lexicon of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals Dorling Kindersley Limited, London, 2001 ISBN 3-8310-0342-4 (p. 91)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Parker, WG (2005). A new species of the Late Triassic aetosaur Desmatosuchus (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia). Compte Rendus Palevol 4 (4): 327-340.
2. ↑ Parker, WG (2008). Description of new material of the aetosaur Desmatosuchus spurensis (Archosauria: Suchia) from the Chinle Formation of Arizona and a revision of the genus Desmatosuchus . PaleoBios 28 (1): 1-40.
3. ↑ Parker, WG (2007). Reassessment of the aetosaur “Desmatosuchus” chamaensis with a reanalysis of the phylogeny of the Aetosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 5 (1): 41-68.
4. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from October 17, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .  

Web links

Commons : Desmatosuchus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Palaeos.com (English)