Mystriosuchus

Mystriosuchus; Temporal range: Upper Triassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
(unranked):	Archosauria
Order:	Phytosauria
Family:	Phytosauridae
Subfamily:	Pseudopalatinae
Genus:	Mystriosuchus; Fraas, 1896
Species
	M. planirostris (von Meyer, 1863 [originally Belodon planirostris]) (type); M. westphali;

Mystriosuchus (meaning "spoon-crocodile")^[1] is an extinct genus of phytosaur that lived in the Late Triassic (middle Norian) in Europe. It was first named by Eberhard Fraas in 1896, and includes two species: M. westphali (formerly M. plieningeri) and the type species, M. planirostris ^[2]. Mystriosuchus planirostris measured about four metres long (13 ft), according to a complete skeleton which was found in 1995. ^[3] The postcranial anatomy of the skeleton suggests that Mystriosuchus was more adapted to aquatic life than other known phytosaurs ^[3], while cranial morphology is suggestive of a primarily fish eating diet.^[2]

Mystriosuchus used to placed in its own subfamily, Mystriosuchinae,^[4]^[5] however, recent research demonstratred that it belongs to the subfamily Pseudopalatinae, despite having several physical differences from most of the genera in this group ^[2]. Originally considered to be a freshwater genus, a recent specimen from Northern Italy has shown that some Mystriosuchus specimens lived a completely marine life.^[3]

References

^ dipbsf.uninsubria.it Mystriosuchus planirostris description Retrieved on May 25th, 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hungerbühler, A. 2002. The Late Triassic phylosaur Mystriosuchus westphali, with a revision of the genus. Palaeontology 45(2): 377-418.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gozzi, E. & Renesto, S.A. 2003. Complete specimen of Mystriosuchus (Reptilia, Phytosauria) from the Norian (Late Triassic) of Lombardy (Northern Italy). Rivista Italiana Di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 109(3): 475-498.
^ von Huene, F. 1915. On reptiles of the New Mexican Trias in the Cope Collection. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 34: 485-507.
^ Long, R.A. & Murry, P.A. 1995. Late Triassic (Carnian and Norian) tetrapods from the southwestern United States. Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science 4 254 pp.