Calsoyasuchus

Calsoyasuchus
Temporal range: Early Jurassic, 196.5 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Family: Goniopholididae
Genus: Calsoyasuchus
Tykoski et al., 2002
Type species
Calsoyasuchus valliceps
Tykoski et al., 2002

Calsoyasuchus (meaning "[Dr. Kyril] Calsoyas' crocodile") is a genus of crocodylomorph[1] that lived in the Early Jurassic. Its fossilized remains were found in the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian-age Kayenta Formation on Navajo Nation land in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Formally described as C. valliceps, it is known from a single incomplete skull which is unusually derived for such an early crocodile relative. This genus was described in 2002 by Ronald Tykoski and colleagues; the specific name means "valley head" and refers to a deep groove along the midline of the nasal bones and frontal bones.[2] It has often been interpreted as the earliest diverging member of Goniopholididae, but other studies have recovered it in various other positions.

  1. ^ Mesoeucrocodylia is the clade that includes all the living crocodilians and their closest extinct relatives.
  2. ^ Tykoski, Ronald S.; Rowe, Timothy B.; Ketcham, Richard A.; Colbert, Matthew W. (2002). "Calsoyasuchus valliceps, a new crocodyliform from the Early Jurassic Kayenta Formation of Arizona" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (3): 593–611. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0593:CVANCF]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 85969174.