| Armadillosuchus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Clade: | Crocodyliformes |
| Clade: | †Notosuchia |
| Clade: | †Ziphosuchia |
| Genus: | †Armadillosuchus Marinho & Carvalho 2009 |
| Species | |
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Armadillosuchus is an extinct genus of sphagesaurid crocodylomorph. It was described in February 2009 from the late Campanian to early Maastrichtian Adamantina Formation of the Bauru Basin in Brazil, dating to approximately 70 Ma. Armadillosuchus was among the larger and more robust sphagesaurids, with a total length of approximately 2 metres (6.6 ft).
Like other sphagesaurids, Armadillosuchus had heterodont teeth and was likely capable of chewing. Based on its dentition and size, it is believed that it was an omnivore, feeding on invertebrates, plants and possibly scavenging on occasion. Furthermore, its well developed forelimbs may have made the animal a capable burrower, which could have helped Armadillosuchus regulate its body temperature. The most recognizable feature of Armadillosuchus is its body armor, which makes it one of the best armored notosuchians. Preserved elements show the presence of a rigid shield of hexagonal osteoderms just behind the head, followed by a series of mobile bands similar to those of armadillos that give the animal its name. While this armor is prominent in the fossil specimen, later research suggests that it may not have been visible in life and was instead deeply embedded into the animal's skin.
Armadillosuchus currently only includes a single named species, Armadillosuchus arrudai, making the genus monotypic. However, the discovery of a fragmentary individual in the Adamantina Formation opens the possibility that other species existed as well.