An ancient crocodile-like reptile was discovered in Brazil

A new species of ancient predatory reptile from the pseudosuchus group, Parvosuchus aurelioi, has been reported to have been discovered in Brazil. This find, dated to the Middle-Late Triassic period, approximately 237 million years ago, provides important information about the diversity of the first reptiles before the dominance of dinosaurs.

Published in the article Scientific Reports, It details the discovery of a new, ancient predatory reptile known as the. Parvosuchus aurelioi, in Brazil. This creature belongs to a group of crocodile-like reptiles called pseudosuchians. This specimen, dated to the Middle-Late Triassic period, approximately 237 million years ago, is the first discovery of a small carnivorous reptile of its kind in the country.

Before the dominance of dinosaurs, pseudosuchians were a common form of ancient quadrupedal reptiles during the Triassic period (252-201 million years ago), and some species were among the largest carnivores of the time. Smaller pseudosuchians, known as gracilisuchids, lived alongside these apex predators and were found in areas such as China and Argentina.

Explanation Parvosuchus aurelioi

Rodrigo Müller now reports the discovery of a new species of gracilisushid based on a specimen found in the Santa Maria Formation in Brazil. The partial skeleton dates to approximately 237 million years ago and consists of a complete skull containing the lower jaw, 11 dorsal vertebrae, a pelvis, and partially preserved limbs. The author named a new species Parvosuchus aurelioiThis name, which comes from “parvus” (small) and “suchus” (crocodile), honors amateur paleontologist Pedro Lucas Porcel Aurelio, who discovered the fossil.

The skull is 14.4 centimeters long and has long, thin jaws, pointed teeth that curve backwards, and several openings in the skull. The skeleton is lightweight, estimated to be less than a meter long. These features are classified P. aurelioi According to the author, this species is a gracilissuchid, the first species from this group confirmed in Brazil. The discovery underscores the diversity among pseudozoans from the Triassic, he adds.