Baurusuchinae is a subfamily of baurusuchid crocodyliforms from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Named in 2011, it contains the baurusuchids Aphaurosuchus, Aplestosuchus, Baurusuchus and Stratiotosuchus. Baurusuchinae is one of two subfamilies of Baurusuchidae, the other being Pissarrachampsinae.[1]

Baurusuchinae
Temporal range: Campanian, 83.6–72.1 Ma
Skull of Baurusuchus salgadoensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Clade: Notosuchia
Clade: Sebecosuchia
Family: Baurusuchidae
Subfamily: Baurusuchinae
Montefeltro et al., 2011
Genera

Several features distinguish baurusuchines from pissarrachampsines and help diagnose the subfamily. The orbital section of the jugal is twice the depth of the infratemporal portion. There are depressions on the quadrate running from top to bottom. The condyle on the side of the quadrate is almost as wide as the middle condyle. The bottom of the choanal septum is smooth. The ridged border of the middle face of the angular does not overcome the front of the mandibular fenestra. The frontal bone, situated behind the prefrontals, is very wide. The skull of baurusuchines is relatively straight when viewed from above.[2]

Baurusuchinae is a stem-based taxon formally defined in 2021 as the most inclusive clade containing Baurusuchus pachecoi, but not Pissarrachampsa sera.[2]

Baurusuchines are only found in the Bauru Basin of Brazil, and are therefore endemic to the Bauru Group. Because of their restricted stratigraphic and geographic range, baurusuchines were probably sympatric, living in the same environment at the same time. Alternatively, they may have been stratigraphically separated, meaning that each species lived at a slightly different time.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Montefeltro FC, Larsson HC, Langer MC (2011). "A new baurusuchid (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the late cretaceous of Brazil and the phylogeny of Baurusuchidae". PLOS ONE. 6 (7): e21916. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...621916M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021916. PMC 3135595. PMID 21765925.
  2. ^ a b Darlim G, Montefeltro FC, Langer MC (September 2021). "3D skull modelling and description of a new baurusuchid (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Cretaceous (Bauru Basin) of Brazil". Journal of Anatomy. 239 (3): 622–662. doi:10.1111/joa.13442. PMC 8349455. PMID 33870512.