Metriorhynchids Temporal range: Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous,
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Fossil of Cricosaurus, Museum Eichstaett | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Archosauria |
Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
Clade: | Crocodylomorpha |
Clade: | Crocodyliformes |
Suborder: | †Thalattosuchia |
Clade: | †Euthalattosuchia |
Family: | †Metriorhynchidae Fitzinger, 1843 |
Subfamilies | |
Synonyms | |
Metriorhynchidae is an extinct family of specialized, aquatic metriorhynchoid crocodyliforms from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous period (Bajocian to early Aptian[2]) of Europe, North America and South America. The name Metriorhynchidae was coined by the Austrian zoologist Leopold Fitzinger in 1843.[3] The group contains two subfamilies, the Metriorhynchinae and the Geosaurinae.[4][5] They represent the most marine adapted of all archosaurs.