Notosuchia

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Extinct suborder of reptiles

title: "Notosuchia" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["early-cretaceous-crocodylomorphs", "terrestrial-crocodylomorphs", "notosuchia", "bathonian-first-appearances", "maastrichtian-extinctions", "miocene-extinctions", "taxa-named-by-zulma-brandoni-de-gasparini"] description: "Extinct suborder of reptiles" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notosuchia" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Extinct suborder of reptiles ::

::data[format=table title="infobox"]

FieldValue
titleCladograms of Notosuchia
bodystylebackground:transparent;
datastyletext-align:left;
{{Cladogramtitle
clades{{clade
label1Notosuchia
1{{clade
1Notosuchus
2{{clade
1Libycosuchus
2{{clade
1Baurusuchus
2{{clade
1Iberosuchus
2{{clade
1Sebecus
2{{clade
1Itaborai crocodile
2Bretesuchus
{{Cladogramtitle
clades{{clade
label1Notosuchia
1{{clade
1Uruguaysuchus
2{{clade
1Simosuchus
2{{clade
1{{clade
1Malawisuchus
2Candidodon}}
2{{clade
1Notosuchus
2{{clade
1Comahuesuchus
2{{clade
1{{clade
1Chimaerasuchus
2Sphagesaurus}}
label2Sebecosuchia
2{{clade
1Baurusuchus
2{{clade
1Bretesuchus
2Iberosuchus
{{Cladogramtitle
clades{{clade
label1Metasuchia
1{{clade
label1Notosuchia
1{{clade
1Notosuchus
2Malawisuchus}}
2{{clade
1Araripesuchus
2{{clade
1{{clade
1
2{{clade
1Neosuchia
label2Sebecia
2{{clade
1
2{{clade
label1
1{{clade
1
2}}
2Peirosauridae
::

| fossil_range = Middle Jurassic – Late Miocene/Early Pliocene, | image = August 1, 2012 - Simosuchus on Display at the Royal Ontario Museum.jpg | image_caption = Mounted skeleton of the notosuchian Simosuchus clarki in the Royal Ontario Museum | display_parents = 3 | taxon = Notosuchia | authority = Gasparini, 1971 | subdivision_ranks = Families and genera | subdivision = *Uruguaysuchidae

Notosuchia is a clade of primarily Gondwanan mesoeucrocodylian crocodylomorphs that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Some phylogenies recover Sebecosuchia as a clade within Notosuchia, others as a sister group (see below); if Sebecosuchia is included within Notosuchia its existence is pushed into the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene, about 7 to 4.5 million years ago. Fossils have been found from South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Notosuchia was a clade of terrestrial crocodilians that evolved a range of feeding behaviours, including herbivory (Chimaerasuchus), omnivory (Simosuchus), and terrestrial hypercarnivory (Baurusuchus). It included many members with highly derived traits unusual for crocodylomorphs, including mammal-like teeth, flexible bands of shield-like body armor similar to those of armadillos (Armadillosuchus), and possibly fleshy cheeks and pig-like snouts (Notosuchus). The clade was first named in 1971 by Zulma Gasparini and has since undergone many phylogenetic revisions.

Description

Notosuchians were generally small, with slender bodies and erect limbs. The most distinctive characteristics are usually seen in the skull. Notosuchian skulls are generally short and deep. While most are relatively narrow, some are very broad. Simosuchus has a broadened skull and jaw that resembles a pug, while Anatosuchus has a broad, flat snout like that of a duck.

The teeth vary greatly between different genera. Many have heterodont dentitions that vary in shape across the jaw. Often, there are large canine-like teeth protruding from the front of the mouth and broader molar-like teeth in the back. Some genera, such as Yacarerani and Pakasuchus, have extremely mammal-like teeth. Their molars are complex and multicuspid, and are able to occlude or fit with one another. Some forms such as Malawisuchus had jaw joints that enabled them to move the jaw back and forth in a shearing motion rather than just up and down.

A derived group of notosuchians, the baurusuchids differ considerably from other forms. They are very large in comparison to other notosuchians and are exclusively carnivorous. Baurusuchids have deep skulls and prominent canine-like teeth.

Recent research found Araripesuchus wegeneri, Armadillosuchus arrudai, Baurusuchus, Iberosuchus macrodon, and Stratiotosuchus maxhechti were ectothermic organisms

Classification

Taxonomy

Genera

The evolutionary interrelationships of Notosuchia are in flux, but the following genera are generally considered notosuchians:

::data[format=table]

GenusAgeLocationUnitNotesImages
AdamantinasuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina FormationA carnivore with a very short, high skull and large eye sockets[[File:Adamantinasuchus BW.jpg
AnatosuchusAptian–AlbianNigerTegama GroupA small notosuchian under 1 m long with a duck-like snout[[File:Anatosuchus.jpg
AraripesuchusAlbian–Maastrichtian{{ublMadagascarNigerBrazil
ArmadillosuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina FormationA sphagesaurid with armadillo-like armor shields.[[File:Armadillosuchus.jpg
BaurusuchusTuronianBrazilAdamantina FormationA large hypercarnivore 3.5 to in length[[Image:Baurusuchus BW.jpg
CaipirasuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina Formation
CampinasuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina Formation
CandidodonAlbianBrazilItapecuru Formation
ChimaerasuchusAptian–AlbianChinaWulong FormationThe first notosuchian found with heterodont teeth, thought to be a herbivore
ComahuesuchusSantonianArgentinaBajo de la Carpa Formation[[File:Comahuesuchus BW.jpg
Coniacian–SantonianArgentina{{ublBajo de la Carpa FormationPichi Picun Leufu Formation
LibycosuchusCenomanian{{ublEgyptNigeriaBahariya Formation
MalawisuchusEarly CretaceousMalawiA possible burrower that could move its jaw back and forth while eating
MariliasuchusCampanian–MaastrichtianBrazilAdamantina Formation[[File:Mariliasuchus BW.jpg
MorrinhosuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina Formation[[File:Morrinhosuchus.jpg
NotosuchusConiacian–SantonianArgentinaBajo de la Carpa FormationA notosuchian that may have had a pig-like snout[[File:Notosuchus BW.jpg
PakasuchusAlbianTanzaniaA notosuchian with very complex, mammal-like heterodont teeth.[[File:Pakasuchus.jpg
PissarrachampsaCampanian–MaastrichtianBrazilVale do Rio do Peixe Formation
RazanandrongobeMiddle Jurassic (Bathonian)MadagascarSakaraha FormationThe earliest known member of the group.
SimosuchusMaastrichtianMadagascarA broad-snouted omnivore with clove-shaped teeth[[File:Simosuchus clarki skull.jpg
SphagesaurusLate CretaceousBrazilAdamantina FormationAn omnivorous notosuchian
StratiotosuchusTuronian–SantonianBrazilAdamantina Formation[[File:Stratiotosuchus maxhechti.jpg
UruguaysuchusSantonian–CampanianUruguay[[File:Uruguaysuchus BW.jpg
WargosuchusSantonianArgentinaBajo de la Carpa Formation
YacareraniTuronian-SantonianBoliviaCajones FormationA notosuchian with rabbit-like incisors found in association with a probable nest[[File:Yacarerani.jpg
::

Phylogeny

|title=Cladograms of Notosuchia |bodystyle = background:transparent; |datastyle = text-align:left; |data1= |clades={{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:80% |label1=Notosuchia |1={{clade |1=Notosuchus |2={{clade |1=Libycosuchus |2={{clade |1=Baurusuchus |2={{clade |1=Iberosuchus |2={{clade |1=Sebecus |2={{clade |1=Itaborai crocodile |2=Bretesuchus |data2= |clades={{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:80% |label1=Notosuchia |1={{clade |1=Uruguaysuchus |2={{clade |1=Simosuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Malawisuchus |2=Candidodon}} |2={{clade |1=Notosuchus |2={{clade |1=Comahuesuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Chimaerasuchus |2=Sphagesaurus}} |label2=Sebecosuchia |2={{clade |1=Baurusuchus |2={{clade |1=Bretesuchus |2=Iberosuchus |data3= |clades={{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:80% |label1=Metasuchia |1={{clade |label1=Notosuchia |1={{clade |1=Notosuchus |2=Malawisuchus}} |2={{clade |1=Araripesuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1= |2={{clade |1=Neosuchia |label2=Sebecia |2={{clade |1= |2={{clade |label1= |1={{clade |1= |2=}} |2=Peirosauridae The clade Notosuchia has undergone many recent phylogenetic revisions. In 2000, Notosuchia was proposed to be one of two groups within the clade Ziphosuchia, the other being Sebecosuchia, which included deep snouted forms such as baurusuchids and sebecids. The definition of Notosuchia by Sereno et al. (2001) is similar to that of Ziphosuchia as it includes within it Sebecosuchia. Pol (2003) also includes Sebecosuchia within Notosuchia. More recently, a phylogenetic analysis by Larsson and Sues (2007) resulted in the naming of a new clade, Sebecia, to include sebecids and peirosaurids. Baurusuchidae was considered to be polyphyletic in this study, with Pabwehshi being a basal member of Sebecia and Baurusuchus being the sister taxon to the clade containing Neosuchia and Sebecia. Thus, Sebecosuchia was no longer within Notosuchia and not considered to be a true clade, while Notosuchia was found to be a basal clade of Metasuchia.

The following cladogram simplified after the most comprehensive analysis of notosuchians as of 2014, presented by Pol et al. in 2014. It is based mainly on the data matrix published by Pol et al. (2012) which is itself a modified version of previous analyses. Thirty-one additional characters were added from other comprehensive analyses of notosuchians, e.g. Turner and Sertich (2010), Andrade et al. (2011), Montefeltro et al. (2011), Larsson and Sues (2007), and Novas et al. (2009), and 34 characters were noval, resulting in a matrix that includes 109 crocodyliforms and outgroup taxa which are scored based on 412 morphological traits.

|label1=Notosuchia |1={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |label1=Uruguaysuchidae |1={{clade |1=Araripesuchus tsangatsangana |2={{clade |1=Anatosuchus |2=Araripesuchus wegeneri}} |3={{clade |1=Araripesuchus buitreraensis |2={{clade |1=Araripesuchus gomesii |2={{clade |1=Araripesuchus patagonicus |2=Uruguaysuchus}} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=Stolokrosuchus |2={{clade |label1=Mahajangasuchidae |1={{clade |1=Kaprosuchus |2=Mahajangasuchus}} |label2=Peirosauridae |2={{clade |1=Hamadasuchus |2={{clade |1=Gasparinisuchus |2=Lomasuchus |3=Montealtosuchus |4=Uberabasuchus}} }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=Candidodon |label2=Ziphosuchia |2={{clade |1=Libycosuchus |2={{clade |1=Simosuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Malawisuchus |2=Pakasuchus}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Morrinhosuchus |2={{clade |1=Notosuchus |2={{clade |1=Coringasuchus |2=Labidiosuchus |3=Mariliasuchus |label4=Sphagesauridae |4={{clade |1={{clade |1=Adamantinasuchus |2=Yacarerani}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Caipirasuchus stenognathus |2={{clade |1=Caipirasuchus paulistanus |2=Caipirasuchus montealtensis}} }} |2={{clade |1=Sphagesaurus |2={{clade |1=Armadillosuchus |2=Caryonosuchus}} }} }} }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=Chimaerasuchus |2={{clade |1=Comahuesuchus |label2=Sebecosuchia |2={{clade |1=Pabwehshi |label2=Baurusuchidae |2={{clade |1=Cynodontosuchus |2={{clade |1=Pissarrachampsa |2={{clade |1=Stratiotosuchus |2={{clade |1=Campinasuchus |2={{clade |1=Baurusuchus albertoi |2={{clade |1=Baurusuchus pachecoi |2=Baurusuchus salgadoensis}} }} }} }} }} }} |4={{clade |1={{clade |1=Bergisuchus |2=Iberosuchus}} |label2=Sebecidae |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Lorosuchus |2=Pehuenchesuchus}} |2={{clade |1=Barinasuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Ayllusuchus |2=Bretesuchus }} |2={{clade |1=Lumbrera form |2=Langstonia |3=Sebecus |4=Zulmasuchus }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

This cladogram represents the results of the most comprehensive analysis of notosuchian relationships to date, performed in the description of Antaeusuchus taouzensis by Nicholl et al. 2021. It is largely based on the matrix from the above Pol et al. 2014 study, but also adding character scores from Leardi et al. 2015, Fiorelli et al. 2016, Leardi et al. 2018, and Martinez et al. 2018. The final matrix consisted of 121 taxa scored for 443 morphological traits.

|label1=Notosuchia |1={{clade |1={{clade |label1=Uruguaysuchidae |1={{clade |1=Araripesuchus tsangatsangana |2={{clade |1=Anatosuchus |2=Araripesuchus wegeneri}} |3={{clade |1=Araripesuchus buitreraensis |2={{clade |1=Araripesuchus gomesii |2={{clade |1=Araripesuchus patagonicus |2=Uruguaysuchus}} }} }} }} |2={{clade |label1=Mahajangasuchidae |1={{clade |1=Kaprosuchus |2=Mahajangasuchus}} |label2=Peirosauridae |2={{clade |1=Stolokrosuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Bayomesasuchus |2={{clade |1=Hamadasuchus |2=Antaeusuchus}}}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Miadanasuchus |2=Barrosasuchus}} |2={{clade |1=Gasparinisuchus |2=Rukwasuchus |3={{clade |1=Uberabasuchus |2={{clade |1=Lomasuchus |2=Montealtosuchus}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} |2={{clade |1=Candidodon |label2=Ziphosuchia |2={{clade |1=Libycosuchus |2={{clade |1=Simosuchus |2={{clade |1=Neuquensuchus |2={{clade |1=Pakasuchus |2=Malawisuchus}} |label3=Xenodontosuchia |3={{clade |label1=Sphagesauria |1={{clade |1=Morrinhosuchus |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Llanosuchus |2=Notosuchus}} |2={{clade |1=Labidiosuchus |2=Mariliasuchus |label3=Sphagesauridae |3={{clade |1={{clade |1=Adamantinasuchus |2=Yacarerani}} |2={{clade |1=Caipirasuchus |2={{clade |1=Sphagesaurus |2={{clade |1=Caryonosuchus |2=Armadillosuchus}}}}}}}}}}}}}} |2={{clade |1=Chimaerasuchus |2={{clade |1=Comahuesuchus |2=Razanandrongobe |label3=Sebecosuchia |3={{clade |label1=Baurusuchidae |1={{clade |1=Cynodontosuchus |2={{clade |1=Pissarrachampsa |2=Campinasuchus |3={{clade |1=Stratiosuchus |2=Baurusuchus}}}}}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Bergisuchus |2=Iberosuchus}} |label2=Sebecidae |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=Ayllusuchus |2=Bretesuchus}} |2={{clade |1=Barinasuchus |2={{clade |1=Ogresuchus |2=Sebecus}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Subclades

There is uncertainty on the precise interrelationships between different notosuchian families. This is a summary on the phylogenetic definitions of higher-level notosuchian clades from Leardi et al. 2024.

::data[format=table]

NameNamed byDefinitionNotes
BaurusuchiaWalker, 1968The largest clade containing Baurusuchus pachecoi, but not Sebecus icaeorhinus, Sphagesaurus huenei, Araripesuchus gomesii, Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, and Crocodylus niloticus.Includes the family Baurusuchidae and its closest relatives.
EunotosuchiaRuiz et al., 2021The smallest clade containing Notosuchus terrestris and Uruguaysuchus aznarezi but not Crocodylus niloticus.Would include all known notosuchians if Ururguaysuchidae are the most basal notosuchians.
NotosuchiaGasparini, 1971The largest clade containing Notosuchus terrestris, but not Crocodylus niloticus.
PeirosauriaLeardi et al., 2024The smallest clade containing Mahajangasuchus insignis, Peirosaurus torminni, Lomasuchus palpebrosus, and Itasuchus jesuinoi, provided that it does not include Sebecus icaeorhinus.Would be invalid if sebecids are more closely related to peirosaurids than mahajangasuchids are.
SebeciaLarsson & Sues, 2007The largest clade containing Sebecus icaeorhinus and Lomasuchus palpebrosus, but not Baurusuchus pachecoi, Notosuchus terrestris, and Crocodylus niloticus.Would be invalid if sebecids are more closely related to baurusuchids than to peirosaurids.
SebecosuchiaSimpson, 1937The smallest clade containing Sebecus icaeorhinus and Baurusuchus pachecoi, but not Araripesuchus gomesii, Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, or Crocodylus niloticus.Would be invalid if sebecids are more closely related to peirosaurids than to baurusuchids.
SphagesauriaKellner & Campos, 2007The largest clade containing Sphagesaurus huenei, but not Baurusuchus pachecoi, Araripesuchus gomesii, Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, Sebecus icaeorhinus, and Crocodylus niloticus.Includes Sphagesauridae and close relatives such as Notosuchus.
XenodontosuchiaRuiz et al., 2021The smallest clade containing Sphagesaurus huenei and Baurusuchus pachecoi, but not Uruguaysuchus aznarezi, Araripesuchus gomesii, Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, and Crocodylus niloticus.May be invalid if sebecids are closely related to peirosaurids.
ZiphosuchiaOrtega et al., 2000The smallest clade containing Notosuchus terrestris, Libycosuchus brevirostris, Sebecus icaeorhinus, and Baurusuchus pachecoi, but not Lomasuchus palpebrosus.
::

References

References

  1. Dal Sasso C, Pasini G, Fleury G, Maganuco S. (2017) Razanandrongobe sakalavae, a gigantic mesoeucrocodylian from the Middle Jurassic of Madagascar, is the oldest known notosuchian. PeerJ 5:e3481 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3481
  2. (2024). "Phylogenetic nomenclature of Notosuchia (Crocodylomorpha; Crocodyliformes)". Bulletin of Phylogenetic Nomenclature.
  3. (2021). "A new species of ''Caipirasuchus'' (Notosuchia, Sphagesauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil and the evolutionary history of Sphagesauria". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
  4. (2021). "A new species of ''Caipirasuchus'' (Notosuchia, Sphagesauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil and the evolutionary history of Sphagesauria". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
  5. (2025). "A South American sebecid from the Miocene of Hispaniola documents the presence of apex predators in early West Indies ecosystems". Proceedings. Biological Sciences.
  6. Gasparini, Z.. (1971). "Los Notosuchia del Cretácico de América del Sur como un nuevo Infraorden de los Mesosuchia (Crocodilia)". Ameghiniana.
  7. Cubo, J.. (2022). "Paleohistological inferences of thermometabolic regimes inNotosuchia (Pseudosuchia: Crocodylomorpha) revisited". Paleobiology.
  8. Ortega, F. Z.. (2000). "A new species of ''Araripesuchus'' (Crocodylomorpha, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Lower Cretaceous of Patagonia (Argentina)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
  9. Pol, D.. (2003). "New Remains of ''Sphagesaurus huenei'' (Crocodylomorpha: Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
  10. Larsson, H. C. E.. (2007). "Cranial osteology and phylogenetic relationships of ''Hamadasuchus rebouli'' (Crocodyliformes: Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Cretaceous of Morocco". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
  11. (2014). "A New Notosuchian from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil and the Phylogeny of Advanced Notosuchians". PLOS ONE.
  12. (2021). "A second peirosaurid crocodyliform from the Mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco and the diversity of Gondwanan notosuchians outside South America". Royal Society Open Science.
  13. (2024). "Phylogenetic nomenclature of Notosuchia (Crocodylomorpha; Crocodyliformes)". Bulletin of Phylogenetic Nomenclature.

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early-cretaceous-crocodylomorphsterrestrial-crocodylomorphsnotosuchiabathonian-first-appearancesmaastrichtian-extinctionsmiocene-extinctionstaxa-named-by-zulma-brandoni-de-gasparini