Hsisosuchus

Hsisosuchus
Temporal range: Middle-Late Jurassic
Skull and vertebrae of Hsisosuchus chungkingensis at the Hong Kong Science Museum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Solidocrania
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Clade: Mesoeucrocodylia
Family: †Hsisosuchidae
Young and Chow, 1953
Genus: †Hsisosuchus
Young and Chow, 1953
Species
  • †H. chungkingensis Young & Chow, 1953 (type)[1]
  • †H. dashanpuensis Gao, 2001[2]
  • †H. chowi Peng & Shu 2005[3]

Hsisosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodyliform from China. Currently there are three species within this genus: H. dashanpuensis is from the Middle Jurassic, while H. chungkingensis and H. chowi are from the Late Jurassic.[3] It is likely to have been a medium-sized (~3 metres or 9.8 feet long) predator.[4]

Hsisouchus chunkingensis replica skeleton

Fossils of H. chungkingensis were found in the Shangshaximiao Formation (near Chongqing city). The holotype consists of the cranial skeleton and caudal osteoderms. A more complete specimen was found and described that added significant information on the postcranium of H. chungkingensis.[3][5]

H. dashanpuensis was found in the Xiashaximiao Formation.[3]

H. chowi was found in the Shangshaximiao Formation. The holotype specimen consists of a nearly complete skull (25 cm (9.8 in) long), mandibles, most of the vertebral column, partial pectoral and pelvic girdles, most of the forelimbs, fragments of hindlimbs and many osteoderms. It differs from other species of Hsisosuchus in several features of its skull and postcrania.

  1. ^ Young C.C., Chow M.C. 1953. New fossil reptiles from Szechuan China. Acta Paleontologica Sinica 1: 87-109.
  2. ^ Gao, Yuhui (July 2001). "A new species of Hsisosuchus (Mesoeucrocodylia) from Dashanpu, Zigong Municipality, Sichuan Province" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 39 (3): 177–184.
  3. ^ a b c d Peng, Guang-Zhao; Shu, Chun-Kang (2005). "A new species of Hsisosuchus (Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Jurassic of Zigong, Sichuan, China" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 43 (4): 312–324.
  4. ^ "Crocodiles in the shadow of the dinosaurs - Snippets from our through streams". Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  5. ^ Li J. L., Wu X. C., Li X. M. 1994. New material of Hsisosuchus chungkingensis from Sichuan, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 32 (2): 107-126. (in Chinese with English summary)