Albertosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodyloid crocodylian from the Late Cretaceous of Canada. The type species Albertosuchus knudsenii was named in 2015 from the Scollard Formation in Alberta. Albertosuchus is the northernmost-known Late Cretaceous crocodylian in North America. Albertosuchus lacks the notch in the upper jaw between the maxilla and premaxilla bones that is characteristic of most crocodyloids, and it also has a very short mandibular symphysis (the connection between the two halves of the lower jaw). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that it is one of the most basal members of Crocodyloidea and a close relative of Arenysuchus from the Late Cretaceous of Spain, although the incomplete nature of known material makes these findings uncertain.[1]

Albertosuchus
Temporal range: Maastrichtian
~70–66 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauromorpha
Clade: Archosauriformes
Order: Crocodilia
Superfamily: Crocodyloidea
Genus: Albertosuchus
Wu and Brinkman, 2015
Type species
Albertosuchus knudsenii
Wu and Brinkman, 2015

References edit

  1. ^ Wu, Xiao-Chun; Brinkman, Donald B.; Gardner, James (2015). "A new crocodylian (Eusuchia) from the uppermost Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada1". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 52 (8): 590. Bibcode:2015CaJES..52..590W. doi:10.1139/cjes-2014-0133.