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Parvosuchus Temporal range: Middle–Late Triassic (Ladinian–Carnian), ~237 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype skull
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Archosauria
Clade:	Pseudosuchia
Family:	†Gracilisuchidae
Genus:	†Parvosuchus Müller, 2024
Species:	†P. aurelioi
Binomial name
†Parvosuchus aurelioi Müller, 2024

Parvosuchus (meaning "small crocodile") is an extinct genus of gracilisuchid pseudosuchians from the Middle–Late Triassic Santa Maria Formation (Paraná Basin) of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, P. aurelioi, known from a cranium and partial skeleton.

Discovery and naming

The Parvosuchus holotype specimen, CAPPA/UFSM 0412, was discovered at the Linha Várzea 2 site in the Pinheiros-Chiniquá Sequence, which belongs to the Santa Maria Formation of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Paraná Basin) in Paraíso do Sul municipality of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. This locality represents the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone. The specimen consists of a largely articulated skeleton, including the skull and lower jaws, the last 11 dorsal vertebrae, two sacral vertebrae, a pelvic girdle, part of the right femur, and a partial left hindlimb (comprising pieces of the femur, tibia, fibula, and calcaneum).

In 2024, Rodrigo T. Müller described Parvosuchus aurelioi as a new genus and species of gracilisuchid pseudosuchians based on these fossil remains. The generic name, Parvosuchus, combines "parvus", a Latin word meaning "small", with "suchus", a Greek word meaning "crocodile" (σοῦχος, after Sobek, the crocodile-headed ancient Egyptian deity). The specific name, aurelioi, honors Pedro L. P. Aurélio, the discoverer of the holotype.

Description

The skull of Parvosuchus is 144 millimetres (5.7 in) long. Based on its fossil remains and those of more complete relatives, its body length is estimated at 1 metre (3.3 ft). Its teeth are blade-like and elongated, a feature indicative of predatory behavior and carnivorous habits.

Classification

In his phylogenetic analyses, Müller (2024) recovered Parvosuchus in a clade with Maehary (which was originally identified as an early pterosauromorph) and Gracilisuchus within the Gracilisuchidae. These results are displayed in the cladogram below:

Suchia	†Ornithosuchidae †Erpetosuchidae †Aetosauriformes †Gracilisuchidae Turfanosuchus Yonghesuchus Gracilisuchus Maehary Parvosuchus †Ticinosuchus †Mandasuchus Paracrocodylomorpha

References

1. ^ Müller, Rodrigo T. (2024-06-20). "A new small-sized predatory pseudosuchian archosaur from the Middle-Late Triassic of Southern Brazil". Scientific Reports. 14 (1): 12706. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-63313-3. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 11189902.
2. Nature Publishing Group. "New, small, ancient crocodile-like reptile described in Brazil". phys.org. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
3. Kellner, A.W.A.; Holgado, B.; Grillo, O.; Pretto, F.A.; Kerber, L.; Pinheiro, F.L.; Soares, M.B.; Schultz, C.L.; Lopes, R.T.; Araújo, A.; Müller, R.T. (2022). "Reassessment of Faxinalipterus minimus, a purported Triassic pterosaur from southern Brazil with the description of a new taxon". PeerJ. 10: e13276. doi:10.7717/peerj.13276. PMC 9074864. PMID 35529502.

v t e Pseudosuchia
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Archosauria Sauropsida see Sauropsida Archosauromorpha see Archosauromorpha Pseudosuchia see below↓
Pseudosuchia Pseudosuchia †Dasygnathoides †Nundasuchus †Phytosauria? †Ornithosuchidae Aenigmaspina? Dynamosuchus Ornithosuchus Riojasuchus Venaticosuchus Suchia †Heteropelta? †Koilamasuchus? †Mandasuchus †Nundasuchus? †Ticinosuchus †Erpetosuchidae Archeopelta? Dyoplax? Erpetosuchus Pagosvenator Parringtonia Tarjadia †Aetosauriformes Acaenasuchus Euscolosuchus Revueltosaurus Aetosauria see Aetosauria †Gracilisuchidae Gracilisuchus Maehary? Parvosuchus Turfanosuchus Yonghesuchus Paracrocodylomorpha see below↓
Paracrocodylomorpha Paracrocodylomorpha †Mambawakale †Poposauroidea Benggwigwishingasuchus Lotosaurus Schultzsuchus? Qianosuchus Ctenosauriscidae Arizonasaurus Bromsgroveia Bystrowisuchus Ctenosauriscus Hypselorhachis Tsylmosuchus? Xilousuchus Poposauridae Dolichobrachium Poposaurus Shuvosauridae Effigia Shuvosaurus Sillosuchus Loricata †Apatosuchus †Arganasuchus †Batrachotomus †Dagasuchus †Decuriasuchus †Etjosuchus †Fasolasuchus †Heptasuchus †Heteropelta? †Incertovenator? †Luperosuchus †Mandasuchus? †Prestosuchus †Procerosuchus †Saurosuchus †Stagonosuchus †Youngosuchus †Rauisuchidae Arganasuchus? Energosuchus? Jushatyria? Polonosuchus Postosuchus Procerosuchus? Rauisuchus Scolotosuchus Scythosuchus? Teratosaurus Tikisuchus? Vivaron Vjushkovisaurus? Vytshegdosuchus? Crocodylomorpha see below↓
Crocodylomorpha Crocodylomorpha †Carnufex †Dibothrosuchus †Dromicosuchus †Hesperosuchus †Heteropelta? †Junggarsuchus †Kayentasuchus †Parrishia †Phyllodontosuchus †Pseudhesperosuchus †Redondavenator †Sphenosuchus †Syntomiprosopus? †Trialestes †Saltoposuchidae Litargosuchus Saltoposuchus Terrestrisuchus †Hallopodidae Almadasuchus Hallopus Macelognathus †Thalattosuchia see Thalattosuchia Crocodyliformes †Entradasuchus †Eopneumatosuchus †Kemkemia †Microchampsa †Platyognathus †Stegomosuchus †Tagarosuchus †Protosuchidae Coloradisuchus Dianosuchus Edentosuchus Erythrochampsa Hemiprotosuchus Hoplosuchus Orthosuchus? Pedeticosaurus? Protosuchus †Notochampsidae Notochampsa Orthosuchus? †Gobiosuchidae Cassissuchus Gobiosuchus Lisboasaurus? Zaraasuchus Mesoeucrocodylia †Dianchungosaurus †Hsisosuchus †Induszalim †Lusitanisuchus †Neuquensuchus †Pachycheilosuchus? †Titanochampsa †Thalattosuchia? †Shartegosuchoidea Hadongsuchus Shantungosuchus Sichuanosuchus Zosuchus Shartegosuchidae Adzhosuchus Fruitachampsa Kyasuchus Nominosuchus Shartegosuchus Metasuchia †Ziphosuchia see Ziphosuchia includes notosuchians Neosuchia see Neosuchia includes crocodilians
See also: Rauisuchia Prestosuchidae Bathyotica Sphenosuchia Protosuchia Mesosuchia Category

• Gracilisuchids
• Triassic reptiles of South America
• Monotypic prehistoric reptile genera
• Fossils of Brazil
• Triassic Brazil
• Santa Maria Formation
• Fossil taxa described in 2024
• Taxa named by Rodrigo T. Müller