Hyposaurus

Hyposaurus
Temporal range: Maastrichtian–Paleocene
~67–60 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Family: †Dyrosauridae
Genus: †Hyposaurus
Owen, 1849
Type species
Hyposaurus rogersii
Owen, 1849
Species
  • †H. derbianus Cope 1886
  • †H. nopcsai Swinton 1930
  • †H. paucidens Arambourg 1952
  • †H. rogersii Owen 1849
  • †H. wilsoni Swinton 1930

Hyposaurus is a genus of extinct marine dyrosaurid crocodyliform. Fossils have been found in Paleocene aged rocks of the Iullemmeden Basin in West Africa,[1] Campanian–Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) Shendi Formation of Sudan[2] and Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) through Danian (Early Paleocene) strata in New Jersey, Alabama and South Carolina. Isolated teeth comparable to Hyposaurus have also been found in Thanetian (Late Paleocene) strata of Virginia.[3][4] It was related to Dyrosaurus. The priority of the species H. rogersii has been debated,[5][6] however there is no sound basis for the recognition of more than one species from North America. The other North American species (i.e. H. fraterculus, H. ferox and H. natator) are therefore considered nomina vana (i.e. empty names).[4]

  1. ^ Jouve, S. (2007). "Taxonomic revision of the dyrosaurid assemblage (Crocodyliformes: Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Paleocene of the Iullemmeden Basin, West Africa". Journal of Paleontology. 81 (1): 163–175. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2007)81[163:TROTDA]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86329623.
  2. ^ Khalaf Allah O. Salih; David C. Evans; Robert Bussert; Nicole Klein; Mutwakil Nafi; Johannes Müller (2016). "First record of Hyposaurus (Dyrosauridae, Crocodyliformes) from the Upper Cretaceous Shendi Formation of Sudan". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (1): e1115408. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1115408. S2CID 86299028.
  3. ^ Troxell, E.L. (1925). "Hyposaurus, a marine crocodilian". American Journal of Science. Series 5. 9 (54): 489–514. Bibcode:1925AmJS....9..489T. doi:10.2475/ajs.s5-9.54.489.
  4. ^ a b Denton Jr., R. K., Dobie, J. L. and D. C. Parris, 1997. The Marine Crocodilian Hyposaurus in North America. from Ancient Marine Reptiles, editors J. M. Callaway and E. L. Nicholls, Academic Press.
  5. ^ Parris, D. C. 1986, Biostratigraphy of the fossil crocodile Hyposaurus Owen from New Jersey. Investigations of the New Jersey State Museum 4:1-16
  6. ^ Norell, M. A. and G. W. Storrs. 1989. Catalogue and review of the type fossil crocodilians in the Yale Peabody Museum. Postilla 203:1-28