Wargosuchus

Taxobox
name = "Wargosuchus"


image_width =
image_caption=
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
subclassis = Diapsida
infraclassis = Archosauromorpha
unranked_ordo = Crurotarsi
unranked_ordo = Mesoeucrocodylia
subordo = Notosuchia
familia=Baurusuchidae
genus="Wargosuchus"
genus_authority=Martinelli and Pais, 2008
subdivision_ranks=Species
subdivision=
*"W. australis" Martinelli and Pais, 2008 (type)

"Wargosuchus" (meaning "Warg [a beast from J. R. R. Tolkien's works] crocodile") is an extinct genus of baurusuchid mesoeucrocodylian from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. It is known from a fragmentary skull from the Santonian-age Bajo de La Carpa Formation of the Neuquén Group, found in the vicinity of Neuquén, Neuquén Province, and was described by Agustín Martinelli and Diego Pais in 2008. The type species is "W. australis".cite journal |last=Martinelli |first=Agustín G. |coauthors=and Pais, Diego F. |year=2008 |title=A new baurusuchid crocodyliform (Archosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia (Argentina) |journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol |volume=7 |issue=6 |pages=371-381 |doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2008.05.002]

"Wargosuchus" is based on MOZ-PV 6134, a partial right premaxilla and maxilla, and partial skull roof. Martinelli and Pais distinguished "Wargosuchus" from other mesoeucrocodylians by skull details, such as a deep groove on the midline of the frontal bones, a large depression for the olfactory bulbs, and enlargment of the last tooth of the premaxilla followed by a deep pit for the following tooth of the lower jaw. The animal had a robust skull. It shared its setting with four other taxa of mesoeucrocodylians: common "Notosuchus", and rare "Cynodontosuchus", "Lomasuchus", and "Peirosaurus".

References